Brenton Eyre-Watt1, Eesharnan Mahendran2, Shuichi Suetani1,2,3,4, Joseph Firth5,6, Steve Kisely2,7, Dan Siskind2,3,7. 1. School of Medicine, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia. 2. Metro South Mental Health and Addiction Services, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. 3. Queensland Centre for Mental Health Research, The Park Centre for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD, Australia. 4. Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia. 5. NICM Health Research Institute, School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia. 6. Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. 7. School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Lithium in drinking water may have significant mental health benefits. We investigated the evidence on the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and their neuropsychiatric outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and CINAHL up to 19 January 2020, for peer-reviewed research examining the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and neuropsychiatric outcomes. We used a pairwise analysis and a random effects model to meta-analyse suicide rates and psychiatric hospital admissions. We assessed for publication bias using Egger's test and Duval and Tweedie's Trim and Fill analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies including 113 million subjects were included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis of 14 studies including 94 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with reduced suicide rates (r = -0.191, 95% confidence interval = [-0.287, -0.090], p < 0.001) and meta-analysis of two studies including 5 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with fewer hospital admissions (r = -0.413, 95% confidence interval = [-0.689, -0.031], p = 0.035). We found significant heterogeneity between studies (Q = 67.4, p < 0.001, I2 = 80.7%) and the presence of publication bias (Egger's test; t value = 2.90, p = 0.013). Other included studies did not provide sufficient data to analyse other neuropsychiatric outcomes quantitatively. CONCLUSION: Higher lithium concentrations in drinking water may be associated with reduced suicide rates and inpatient psychiatric admissions. The relationship with other neuropsychiatric outcomes and complications remains unclear. Further research is required before any public health recommendations can be made.Trial registration number: The study was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42018090145.
BACKGROUND:Lithium in drinking water may have significant mental health benefits. We investigated the evidence on the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and their neuropsychiatric outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis and searched Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO and CINAHL up to 19 January 2020, for peer-reviewed research examining the association between lithium concentrations in drinking water and neuropsychiatric outcomes. We used a pairwise analysis and a random effects model to meta-analyse suicide rates and psychiatric hospital admissions. We assessed for publication bias using Egger's test and Duval and Tweedie's Trim and Fill analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-seven studies including 113 million subjects were included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis of 14 studies including 94 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with reduced suicide rates (r = -0.191, 95% confidence interval = [-0.287, -0.090], p < 0.001) and meta-analysis of two studies including 5 million people found higher lithium concentrations were associated with fewer hospital admissions (r = -0.413, 95% confidence interval = [-0.689, -0.031], p = 0.035). We found significant heterogeneity between studies (Q = 67.4, p < 0.001, I2 = 80.7%) and the presence of publication bias (Egger's test; t value = 2.90, p = 0.013). Other included studies did not provide sufficient data to analyse other neuropsychiatric outcomes quantitatively. CONCLUSION: Higher lithium concentrations in drinking water may be associated with reduced suicide rates and inpatient psychiatric admissions. The relationship with other neuropsychiatric outcomes and complications remains unclear. Further research is required before any public health recommendations can be made.Trial registration number: The study was registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42018090145.
Entities:
Keywords:
Neuropsychiatric outcomes; drinking water; lithium; public health; suicide