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Plasma Lithium Levels and Therapeutic Outcome in the Prophylaxis of Affective Disorders: A Retrospective Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

S. P. Sashidharan
Affiliation:
MRC Unit for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital
R. J. McGuire
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology/Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh
A. I. M. Glen
Affiliation:
MRC Unit for Brain Metabolism and Royal Edinburgh Hospital. Current address: Consultant Psychiatrist, Craig Dunaine Hospital, Inverness

Summary

Patients receiving prophylactic lithium therapy for primary affective disorder during a four year period were studied for recurrence of affective illness. Patients who had affective episodes during this period did not differ from those who remained well in age, sex or diagnosis. Those with a favourable outcome had spent significantly less time at serum lithium levels above 0.9 mmol/litre than those who had a recurrence of affective episodes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1982 

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