THE LITHIUM INDEX IN A ONE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP

1. In a one-year follow-up 198 patients on lithium therapy, besides th eir regular check-ups, were assessed on mood, side-effects and intrace llular lithium. 2. The authors were not able to find a correlation bet ween the so called lithium index (i.e. the quotient intracellular lith ium/plasma lithium) and the mood score. 3. In the group of patients wh ich used no co-medication at all during the year of the follow-up the authors also failed to find a correlation between the lithium index an d some of the clinically most relevant side-effects. However, in that selected group of ''only-lithium-using patients''-only 29 in all-the a uthors found a remarkable stability in the index value. 4. So even if the authors, in fact, rejected the lithium index estimation as a tool in daily praxis, the authors would once again underline the interestin g findings about the so-called lithium index.