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Updated: Apr 10, 2026

A Protocol for Safe Lithiation Reactions Using Organolithium Reagents
Published on: November 12, 2016
Artificial Lithium Toxicity: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Lisa S Richman1, Amy L Dzierba2, Kathleen A Connolly3
1NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia, University Medical Center, Department of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, New York, NY, United States lisasrichman@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Lithium toxicity results in a range of gastrointestinal and neurologic signs and symptoms and can ultimately be fatal. Serum lithium levels may be unreliable when evaluating patients for toxicity, since levels may not be elevated in patients on chronic lithium therapy. Serum lithium levels may also be artificially elevated if blood is collected in a tube containing lithium heparin. We present a case of a woman on chronic lithium therapy whose lithium level was artificially elevated due to blood collection in an incorrect tube.
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