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The impact of modern treatment principles may have eliminated lithium-induced renal failure

Aiff, Harald ; Attman, Per-Ola ; Aurell, Mattias ; Bendz, Hans LU ; Schon, Staffan and Svedlund, Jan (2014) In Journal of Psychopharmacology 28(2). p.151-154
Abstract
We have previously shown that lithium can cause end-stage renal disease (ESRD): however, this serious side-effect of lithium in prophylactic treatment of mood disorders may reflect the treatment regime of the 1960s and 1970s. Today's modern treatment routines, intended to reduce or eliminate lithium-induced ESRD (Li-ESRD), were introduced in Sweden in the early 1980s. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that these routines have eliminated the risk of Li-ESRD. We used the Swedish Renal Registry to identify patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT), treated with dialysis or renal transplantation, with suspected Li-ESRD in two regions of Sweden with altogether about three million inhabitants. We reviewed their medical... (More)
We have previously shown that lithium can cause end-stage renal disease (ESRD): however, this serious side-effect of lithium in prophylactic treatment of mood disorders may reflect the treatment regime of the 1960s and 1970s. Today's modern treatment routines, intended to reduce or eliminate lithium-induced ESRD (Li-ESRD), were introduced in Sweden in the early 1980s. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that these routines have eliminated the risk of Li-ESRD. We used the Swedish Renal Registry to identify patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT), treated with dialysis or renal transplantation, with suspected Li-ESRD in two regions of Sweden with altogether about three million inhabitants. We reviewed their medical records to verify the exposure to lithium treatment, the diagnosis of Li-ESRD and the date of starting the lithium treatment. We found 32 RRT patients in whom lithium treatment was the sole or main contributing cause of ESRD. The starting year of their lithium treatment was between 1965-1980 in all patients. No patient started lithium treatment later than 1980. Modern lithium treatment may have eliminated the risk of Li-ESRD. Our findings support the continued use of lithium as a safe drug for the long-term treatment of mood disorders. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Affective disorders, lithium, adverse effects, chronic kidney failure
in
Journal of Psychopharmacology
volume
28
issue
2
pages
151 - 154
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • wos:000329896900008
  • scopus:84892942512
  • pmid:24346809
ISSN
1461-7285
DOI
10.1177/0269881113516202
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
eca3d9b8-2bf7-4463-941d-4278c3a4621d (old id 4318946)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:30:37
date last changed
2022-04-27 22:47:34
@article{eca3d9b8-2bf7-4463-941d-4278c3a4621d,
  abstract     = {{We have previously shown that lithium can cause end-stage renal disease (ESRD): however, this serious side-effect of lithium in prophylactic treatment of mood disorders may reflect the treatment regime of the 1960s and 1970s. Today's modern treatment routines, intended to reduce or eliminate lithium-induced ESRD (Li-ESRD), were introduced in Sweden in the early 1980s. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that these routines have eliminated the risk of Li-ESRD. We used the Swedish Renal Registry to identify patients on renal replacement therapy (RRT), treated with dialysis or renal transplantation, with suspected Li-ESRD in two regions of Sweden with altogether about three million inhabitants. We reviewed their medical records to verify the exposure to lithium treatment, the diagnosis of Li-ESRD and the date of starting the lithium treatment. We found 32 RRT patients in whom lithium treatment was the sole or main contributing cause of ESRD. The starting year of their lithium treatment was between 1965-1980 in all patients. No patient started lithium treatment later than 1980. Modern lithium treatment may have eliminated the risk of Li-ESRD. Our findings support the continued use of lithium as a safe drug for the long-term treatment of mood disorders.}},
  author       = {{Aiff, Harald and Attman, Per-Ola and Aurell, Mattias and Bendz, Hans and Schon, Staffan and Svedlund, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1461-7285}},
  keywords     = {{Affective disorders; lithium; adverse effects; chronic kidney failure}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{151--154}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Journal of Psychopharmacology}},
  title        = {{The impact of modern treatment principles may have eliminated lithium-induced renal failure}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269881113516202}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0269881113516202}},
  volume       = {{28}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}