Risk factors of thyroid abnormalities in bipolar patients receiving lithium: a case control study

BMC Psychiatry

Simin Dashti⁶  Zinat-Nadya Hatmi⁷  Issa Jahanzad⁴  Ahmad Reza Dehpour²  Hasan Farsam¹  Fatemeh Esfahanian⁵  Fanak Fahimi³  Padideh Ghaeli⁶  Seyed-Ali Ahmadi-Abhari⁶ 

[1] Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Department of Pharmacology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Clinical Pharmacy unit, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences;Department of Pathology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Department of Endocrinology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Department of Psychiatry, Roozbeh Academic and Referral Psychiatric Center;Department of Epidemiology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

关键词: side effect;    lithium ratio;    lithium;    hypothyroidism;    goiter;    Bipolar;   

Others  :  1125164
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-244X-3-4

 received in 2003-01-21, accepted in 2003-05-10,  发布年份 2003

【 摘 要 】

Background

Lithium-induced thyroid abnormalities have been documented in many studies. They may occur despite normal plasma lithium levels. The objectives of this study were: 1) to determine possible relationship between lithium ratio, defined as erythrocyte lithium concentrations divided by plasma lithium concentrations, and thyroid abnormalities in bipolar patients receiving lithium and 2) to find other possible risk factors for developing thyroid abnormalities in the subjects.

Methods

Sixty-eight bipolar patients receiving lithium therapy were enrolled in a cross-sectional evaluation of thyroid function test and thyroid size. Patients were divided into two groups based on their thyroid function tests and thyroid sizes. Erythrocyte and plasma lithium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry for each patient. Lithium ratio was then calculated.

Results

No significant differences were found between age, positive family history of affective disorder, plasma lithium concentration, erythrocyte lithium concentration, and lithium ratio comparing the two groups. Thyroid abnormalities was significantly higher in women than in men (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Lithium ratio does not appear to have a predictive role for thyroidal side effects of lithium therapy. Female gender was the main risk factor. We suggest more frequent thyroid evaluation of bipolar women who are treated with lithium.

【 授权许可】

   
2003 Ahmadi-Abhari et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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