Patients who are to start lithium treatment should have baseline measures of renal, thyroid and parathyroid function as well as regular long-term monitoring, conclude the authors of a new study. In their retrospective analysis, Shine et al. found that lithium use was associated with increased risks of stage 3 chronic kidney disease (HR 1.93, 95% CI 1.76–2.12), hypothyroidism (HR 2.31, 95% CI 2.05–2.60), and hypercalcaemia (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.21–1.69). Women had a higher risk of renal and thyroid disorders than did men, with younger women at higher risk than older women.
References
Shine, B. et al. Long-term effects of lithium on renal, thyroid, and parathyroid function: a retrospective analysis of laboratory data. Lancet 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61842-0
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Effects of lithium on renal and thyroid function. Nat Rev Nephrol 11, 386 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneph.2015.90
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneph.2015.90