Lithium response predictors

Backlund L, Ehnvall A, Hetta J, Isacsson G, Angstromgen H. Identifying predictors for good lithium response—a retrospective analysis of 100 patients with bipolar disorder using a life-charting method. Eur Psychiatry 2009 24(3) 171-7. 

Diagnostic boundaries in juvenile-onset BD need to be defined, since children with hypomania or manic-like symptoms may be increasingly treated with mood stabilizers. In parallel, this would require more complex algorithms because very few controlled trials have been reported (Walkup, 1995). In contrast to the studies of adults reported in the literature, the pharmacological treatment of childhood bipolarity with anticonvulsants remains an understudied area. Carbamazepine appears to be less efficacious than valproate in adult rapid cycling, yet no studies have identified predictors of treatment response to CBZ or any other mood stabilizer (besides lithium) in a pediatric population. 

Bouwer C, Stein DJ Buspirone is an effective augmenting agent of SSRls in severe treatment-refractory depression. S Afr Med J 87 (suppl 4) 534-537, 540, 1997 Bowden CL Predictors of response to divalproex and lithium. J Clin Psychiatry 56 (suppl) 25-30, 1995... 

Joffe R, Levitt A, Bagby M, et al. Predictors of response to lithium and triiodothyronine augmentation of antidepressants in tricyclic non-responders. Br J Psychiatry 1993 163 574-578. 

Bowden CL Predictors of response to divalproex and lithium. J Clin Psychiatry 56 (suppl 3) 25-30,1995... 

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