[Clinical predictors of long-term outcome of lithium prophylaxis in bipolar disorder].
BACKGROUND
In spite of the frequent prophylactic use of lithium salts in affective disorders, few papers have been published about clinical outcome predictors in long-term follow-up.


OBJECTIVE
To identify clinical predictors of long-term outcome in a sample of bipolar outpatients on lithium treatment.


METHODS
An intervention study was conducted in a case series of all patients treated, at least for two years, at two Affective Disorders ambulatory Units. It was examined the association between two dependent outcome variables (presence vs absence of relapses and number of relapses/person/year) and the rest of clinical variables.


RESULTS
139 outpatients diagnosed of bipolar disorder were included in the sample. In each case, therapeutic lithium dosages were administered. Delay time to start treatment since the disorder has begun was the only variable useful to predict weakly outcome. The time spent without treatment and the association with other mood stabilizers or neuroleptics correlates with bad outcome.


CONCLUSIONS
Whichever clinical characteristics of the sample may be, patients should be treated as soon as possible with lithium to get better outcome.
Garcia-López
A
A
Servicios de Salud Mental del Distrito de San Blas, Comunidad de Madrid, Spain.
Ezquiaga
E
E
Nieves
P
P
Rodríguez-Salvanés
F
F
D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008094:Lithium / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012492:Salts; D013997:Time Factors
D012492:Salts; D008094:Lithium
Factores predictores de respuesta al litio en pacientes bipolares en seguimiento a largo plazo.