Breadcrumb

Psychiatry and nephrology in treatment with lithium

Research group

Short description

The purpose of the research is to increase patient safety during prophylactic long-term treatment with lithium, which is the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder.

The overall aim of our studies is to increase patient safety during long-term prophylactic lithium treatment.

 Previous studies indicate that the development of renal insufficiency cannot be explained by lithium exposure alone but that additional factors are operative. The pathogenesis of lithium-associated renal impairment is still poorly understood but our hypothesis is that among those factors are co-morbid somatic diseases. Identification of these conditions will lead to a more individualized treatment of the bipolar patient and subsequently reduce the risk for nephropathy.

Data from laboratory registers, registers for diagnosis, drug treatment, and the Swedish Renal Registry will be used together with reviews of medical records as appropriate.

Results can be expected to improve treatment recommendations and safety routines as well as our knowledge of when to stop treatment before the progression of renal impairment becomes irreversible.

Research group leader

Jan Svedlund, Professor and Senior physician Psychiatry, emeritus

Group members

Harald Aiff, Senior physician Psychiatry
Mihaela Golic, Senior physician Psychiatry
Steinn Steingrimsson, Docent, Senior physician Psychiatry​​​​​​​
Per-Ola Attman, Professor, Senior physician Nephrology
Bernd Ramsauer, Senior physician Nephrology​​​​​​​
Staffan Schön, Senior physician Nephrology