Lithium treatment of conduct disorders in adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
The authors examined the efficacy of lithium carbonate for treating conduct disorder in adolescents.


METHODS
The subjects were 33 inpatients aged 12-17 years. Lithium or placebo was administered in a double-blind fashion for 2 weeks.


RESULTS
On several measures of clinical change the groups showed no significant differences. Of the patients who completed the study, 8.3% of those receiving placebo (one of 12) versus 21.4% (three of 14) of those receiving lithium were considered responders.


CONCLUSIONS
Lithium does not appear beneficial for this indication.
Rifkin
A
A
Department of Psychiatry, Elmhurst City Hospital, Queens, N.Y. USA.
Karajgi
B
B
Dicker
R
R
Perl
E
E
Boppana
V
V
Hasan
N
N
Pollack
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010919:Placebos; D016651:Lithium Carbonate