Lithium treatment in affective disorders.

50 manic patients of unipolar and bipolar affective illness were placed on oral lithium 600-1500 mg daily and serum levels in the range of 0.49-1.23 mEq/L. A better response in bipolar disorders than unipolar was observed. Besides, a much better response to lithium therapy is observed in patients with disease of longer duration and a positive history of affective illness in blood relations. Therapeutic effect had no relationship in terms of age or sex of the patients.