Posted by Squiggles on April 6, 2006, at 20:27:05
In reply to Re: lithium increases tyrosine hydroxylase, posted by Caedmon on April 6, 2006, at 18:43:51
> > Stahl makes an interesting point that "overall,
> > lithium is effective in only 40 to 50% of patients"; i find that incredible but he may not
> > be defining his sample very well.
>
> That's what I was wondering. 40-50% of *which* patients?
>
> In unipolar depression: I understand, from my pdoc, that even though Li is the most studied drug for antidepressant augmentation, it tends to produce only marginal response in most patients. (It and T3. This might just be his clinical experience, I don't know. Such a statement surprised me, but then, I haven't read very deeply into the literature. Remission v. response are different things - most studies only look at response.)
>I'm not surprised that it should have a small
effect as an adjunct - even in combination
with other ADs for UNIPOLAR depression. I don't know how
the combined chemistry in adjunct therapy would be, but if lithium
has a "narrow therapeutic index" why should it
change as an adjunct-- does it potentiate other
ADs? You would have to study the interactions,
i guess. It's sort of like colour spectrum
study isn't it?Most reports I have read, esp. see IGSLI,
report lithium efficacy of 75-80% to bring depression and mania
down in bipolars - the mania and depression
seem linked somehow in bipolars; maybe in
unipolars it is "agitated anxiety"
and depression, requiring a different combination? Just guessing here.Squiggles
> - C
poster:Squiggles
thread:627862
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060403/msgs/629840.html