More than 10 years on lithium ‘hikes renal disease risk’
It is important to monitor patients to see how quickly their kidney function is declining, researchers say
Patients with bipolar or schizoaffective disorder who take lithium for more than a decade experience a steeper decline in kidney function over time than the general population, a study suggests.
Researchers say the novel observation underscores the importance of monitoring renal function during the first years of lithium treatment.
Doctors who notice a fast trajectory of renal decline may have to weigh up the risks and benefits to the patient’s mental and renal health, they say.
Led by the department of public health and clinical medicine at Umea University in Sweden, the team analysed data from 785 patients with bipolar disorder or schizoaffective disorder (mean age 50) with or without lithium exposure.
