Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Lithium-Induced Hypercalcemia and Parathyroid Dysfunction

2001; Elsevier BV; Volume: 42; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1176/appi.psy.42.4.359

1545-7206

Muhamad Aly Rifai, James K. Moles, Daniel P. Harrington,

Bipolar Disorder and Treatment

Received October 18, 2000; revised March 2, 2001; accepted March 15, 2001. From the University of Virginia, School of Medicine, RoanokeSalem Program and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Salem, Virginia. Address reprint requests to Dr. Rifai, VAMC, Medicine/Psychiatry 116A7, Salem, Virginia 24153. Copyright 2001 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Lithium remains a first-line treatment for acute manic states and bipolar affective disorders despite the introduction of newer alternative effective treatments. Lithium therapy, however, is associated with a variety of side effects. Although thyroid dysfunction is the most widely recognized endocrine side effect of lithium therapy, hypercalcemia and more rarely a biochemical picture resembling primary hyperparathyroidism may also develop. Recognition of this less common, but potentially life-threatening side effect, is important as an increasing number of patients are receiving long-term lithium therapy. The following case illustrates the potential impact of lithium on parathyroid function.