Lithium: Weighing potential risks of nephrotoxicity against benefits.

Bipolar disorder is a psychiatric disorder, most often characterized by episodes of mania, hypomania, and depression. Small cohort studies have demonstrated beneficial effects of lithium in increasing production of G-CSF factors, augmenting G-CSF effects, modulating peripheral neutrophils, and macrophages; therefore, suggesting therapeutic use in patients with neutropenia.2 Apart from the beneficial effects, patients on lithium therapy are faced with some short- and long-term challenges. A recent nationwide study by Kessing et al in Danish cohort reported no increased rate of end-stage renal disease in patients with increasing lithium prescriptions compared to patients on antipsychotics. [Extracted from the article]