Development of a psoriasis-like syndrome following lithium therapy.

A correlation between lithium and psoriasis has been observed. In this paper, the case of a 17-yr-old girl is reported who developed psoriatic lesions after administration of lithium carbonate. Further-more, serum lithium levels in some psoriatic patients are disclosed, and induction of psoriasis by lithium in experimental animals is described. Serum lithium levels in 27 patients were significantly higher (p<0.025) than those of controls. Uninvolved parts of skin tissues obtained from three cases of psoriasis were transplanted to nude mice. After supplementing lithium as the chloride, these skin grafts developed the histologic change characteristic of psoriasis. However, the lithium compound by itself did not increase superoxide production of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in psoriasis.