[Renal toxicity of lithium in therapeutic doses (author's transl)]

Two cases of acute nephrotic syndrome, occurring in patients treated with lithium in monitored therapeutic doses, are described. They each made a full recovery. A kidney biopsy, carried out in one case, disclosed normal tissue. Up to now, only a small number of comparable cases have been described in the literature. Pathological kidney changes appear to be more frequent with toxic serum lithium levels, i.e. greater than 2 mmol/l. However, it remains at the present time an open question as to what proportion of such cases are a consequence of primary renal pathological lesions and what proportion are otherwise caused. All published types of kidney dysfunctions in relationship to treatment with therapeutic doses of lithium are discussed in connection with the cases observed.