Prophylactic therapy with lithium in elderly patients with unipolar major depression

✍ Scribed by David Wilkinson; Clive Holmes; Janet Woolford; Susan Stammers; Janine North

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 52 KB
• Volume: 17
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6230
• DOI: 10.1002/gps.671

✦ Synopsis

Objectives:

To compare the relapse rate of elderly depressed patients taking low dose lithium as an additional therapy with antidepressant medication to those receiving antidepressant medication alone.

Methods:

Fifty elderly subjects recovering from a major depressive illness taking continuation antidepressants were randomised, in a double blind study, to receive additional lithium carbonate or placebo and followed up over a two year period for evidence of relapse.

Results:

Relapse rate was significantly greater in those subjects taking antidepressant medication alone compared to subjects taking additional lithium therapy. after six months four (17%) subjects taking antidepressant medication alone had relapsed, whereas none of the subjects taking additional lithium had relapsed. after two years eight (33%) subjects taking antidepressant medication alone had relapsed, whereas only one (4%) of the subjects taking additional lithium had relapsed.

Conclusion:

This preliminary study suggests that long-term low dose lithium therapy is well tolerated and protects elderly patients from a relapse of depressive illness.