INCREASED NUMBER OF PERIPHERAL-BLOOD CD34(-TREATED PATIENTS() CELLS IN LITHIUM)

Eight adult patients with bipolar disorder were prospectively examined to find whether lithium carbonate increased their peripheral blood CD 34(+) haemopoietic stem cells. Following lithium therapy for 3-4 weeks their neutrophil counts increased by a mean of 88% (from 4625 +/- 135 0 x 10(9)/l, mean +/- SD pretreatment, to a peak of 8300 +/- 3910 x 10 (9)/l). Concommitantly, there was a significant increment in their CD3 4(+) cells (from 0.11 +/- 0.01% to a peak of 0.18 +/- 0.08%), There wa s a significant correlation between the rise in neutrophil count and t hat of the CD34(+) cells (r = 0.795, P = 0.019), Lithium therapy may b e used to mobilize peripheral blood CD34(+) cells for marrow transplan tation.