title: Lithium nephrotoxicity.
abstract: Lithium has been widely used in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Its renal toxicity includes impaired urinary concentrating ability and natriuresis, renal tubular acidosis, tubulointerstitial nephritis progressing to chronic kidney disease and hypercalcemia. The most common adverse effect is nephrogenic diabetes insipidus, which affects 20-40% of patients within weeks of lithium initiation. Chronic nephropathy correlates with duration of lithium therapy. Early detection of renal dysfunction should be achieved by rigorous monitoring of patients and close collaboration between psychiatrists and nephrologists. Recent experimental and clinical studies begin to clarify the mechanisms by which lithium induces changes in renal function. The aim of this study was to review the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, histopathological aspects and treatment of lithium-induced nephrotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jobson Lopes de
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Geraldo Bezerra da
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Silva Júnior
authors.forename: Krasnalhia Lívia Soares de
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Abreu
authors.forename: Natália de Albuquerque
authors.initials: Nde A
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando Leonavicius G
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Sônia Maria Holanda Almeida
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: Elizabeth de Francesco
authors.initials: Ede F
authors.lastname: Daher
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D008094:Lithium / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D008094:Lithium