title: Length of lithium treatment needed to eliminate the high mortality of affective disorders.
abstract: Recent studies have indicated that long-term lithium treatment reduces the expected suicidal activity and overall mortality of patients with affective disorders. Based on the data from the lithium clinics in Berlin and Hamilton (n = 512), a minimum length of two years of continued lithium treatment is needed to reduce the high mortality resulting from affective disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Free University of Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ahrens
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Müller-Oerlinghausen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grof
mesh_terms: D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009026:Mortality; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000092864:Suicide Prevention
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium