title: Effect of lithium dosing schedule on urinary output.
abstract: Lithium has been reported to induce polyuria in up to 35% of patients receiving it. It has been suggested that polyuria may be reduced by using single rather than multiple daily dosing. However, this information is based on non-randomized studies, which used higher serum lithium levels than are currently used. In fact, the incidence of polyuria may be lower at currently used lithium levels, and the benefits of a single daily dose regimen on urine volume at these levels have not been assessed. We conducted a prospective randomized study to test the hypothesis that switching patients from multiple daily dose lithium to single daily dose lithium would significantly lower urine volume. Twenty-four patients previously stabilized on multiple daily dosing were randomly allocated to either single or multiple daily dose lithium. Twenty-four-hour urine volume, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance and serum lithium were measured at study entry and completion. Switching to single daily dose lithium did not significantly reduce the 24-h urine volume.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Royal University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Donovan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hawkes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bowen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D011141:Polyuria / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D008094:Lithium; D003404:Creatinine