Background: Lithium has known antisuicidal properties making it an important agent to study in veterans with psychiatric conditions, a population at high risk for suicide. Methods: A single-site, retrospective chart review was conducted at a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) teaching hospital. Patients taking lithium for at least 6 months were identified using the VA Lithium Lab Monitoring Dashboard. The primary and secondary objectives were to evaluate the change in number of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation from 3 months prior to lithium initiation to 3 months after a 6-month duration of lithium. Results: The review included 98 patients; 47 (47.9%) received concomitant psychotherapy, 50 (51.0%) were taking an antipsychotic, and 29 (29.6%) an additional mood stabilizer. During the 6-month intervention period, 75 (76.5%) patients had a lithium level drawn and 28 were in the therapeutic range. Of the 98 patients, hospitalization for suicide attempt decreased from 4.1% before lithium use to 0% after lithium use for 6 months (P = .045). Hospitalization for suicidal ideation also decreased from 13.3% before lithium use to 1.0% after lithium use for 6 months (P = .0004). Conclusions: We observed a statistically significant reduction in hospitalization for suicide attempts and suicidal ideation in veterans prescribed lithium following nonfatal suicide behavior and suicidal ideation.
Background: Lithium has known antisuicidal properties making it an important agent to study in veterans with psychiatric conditions, a population at high risk for suicide. Methods: A single-site, retrospective chart review was conducted at a US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) teaching hospital. Patients taking lithium for at least 6 months were identified using the VA Lithium Lab Monitoring Dashboard. The primary and secondary objectives were to evaluate the change in number of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation from 3 months prior to lithium initiation to 3 months after a 6-month duration of lithium. Results: The review included 98 patients; 47 (47.9%) received concomitant psychotherapy, 50 (51.0%) were taking an antipsychotic, and 29 (29.6%) an additional mood stabilizer. During the 6-month intervention period, 75 (76.5%) patients had a lithium level drawn and 28 were in the therapeutic range. Of the 98 patients, hospitalization for suicide attempt decreased from 4.1% before lithium use to 0% after lithium use for 6 months (P = .045). Hospitalization for suicidal ideation also decreased from 13.3% before lithium use to 1.0% after lithium use for 6 months (P = .0004). Conclusions: We observed a statistically significant reduction in hospitalization for suicide attempts and suicidal ideation in veterans prescribed lithium following nonfatal suicide behavior and suicidal ideation.
Authors: Ross J Baldessarini; Leonardo Tondo; Paula Davis; Maurizio Pompili; Frederick K Goodwin; John Hennen Journal: Bipolar Disord Date: 2006-10 Impact factor: 6.744
Authors: Steven K Dobscha; Lauren M Denneson; Anne E Kovas; Alan Teo; Christopher W Forsberg; Mark S Kaplan; Robert Bossarte; Bentson H McFarland Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2014-12 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Eric G Smith; Karen L Austin; Hyungjin Myra Kim; Donald R Miller; Susan V Eisen; Cindy L Christiansen; Amy M Kilbourne; Brian C Sauer; John F McCarthy; Marcia Valenstein Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2014-12-17 Impact factor: 3.630