LITHIUM AUGMENTATION IN SERTRALINE-RESISTANT DEPRESSION - A PRELIMINARY DOSE-RESPONSE STUDY

Eleven patients with DSM-III-R major depression who were treatment-res istant to sertraline were allocated for lithium augmentation therapy. In conjunction with their sertraline, 6 received lithium carbonate 400 mg at night and 5 received 800 mg at night. A total of 7 patients res ponded within 1 week. The degree of response was not related to the se rum lithium level. Patients with lithium levels as low as 0.3 mEq/l re sponded. No significant side effects were reported.