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Who Responds to Prophylactic Lithium Therapy?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

M. T. Abou-Saleh*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

The search for predictors of outcome has not been particularly rewarding, and the use of lithium remains empirical: a trial of lithium is the most powerful predictor of outcome. However, lithium is a highly specific treatment for bipolar disorder. In non-bipolar affective disorder, factors of interest are correlates of bipolar disorder: mood-congruent psychotic features, retarded-endogenous profile, cyclothymic personality, positive family history of bipolar illness, periodicity, and normality between episodes of illness.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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