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Lithium concentrations in saliva, plasma and red blood cells of patients given lithium acetate
Author(s) -
Evrard J.L.,
Baumann P.,
Bally R. Pera,
PetersHaefeli L.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1978.tb06922.x
Subject(s) - saliva , lithium (medication) , chemistry , medicine , red blood cell , endocrinology , potassium , blood plasma , sodium , organic chemistry
Lithium concentrations in saliva, plasma and red blood cells were measured in: 1) six hospitalized patients under long‐term lithium therapy, at 2, 5, 9 and 24 hours after oral doses of 24 mEq Liacetate and 2 or 12 hours after 8 mEq Li acetate; and 2) 10 outpatients under chronic lithium treatment at two occasions 8 days apart. With changing plasma concentrations, [Li] saliva varied without any notable time lag. [Li] saliva was always much higher than [Li] plasma. The ratio [Li] saliva / [Li] plasma water averaged 3.2 ± 0.2 in 62 determinations, but varied widely at different times after oral lithium in the same individuals and less widely between different individuals. “Prediction” of plasma lithium concentration from measured [Li] saliva appears hazardous, and may provide reliable indications only if [Li] saliva is measured repeatedly. Salivary lithium concentrations were not correlated with either potassium or sodium concentrations. Lithium concentrations in red blood cells were always lower than in plasma: [Li] red blood cell water / [Li] plasma water averaged 0.37 ± 0.03. With changing plasma concentrations, rise and fall of red blood cell lithium lagged considerably behind plasma changes. This resulted in a rise of the red blood cell/plasma concentration ratio from a very low value 2 hours after an oral dose to a rather high value 24 hours after an oral dose.