[Lithium in the prevention of manic-depressive and schizo-affective psychoses]

The brilliant results obtained with lithium carbonate in the prophylactic treatment of manic-depressive (MDP) and schizoaffective (SAP) psychoses over almost five years are reported. The series includes 53 patients, 46 of them suffering from MDP and 7 from SAP. In the majority of cases, the lithium dose used was 900 mg/die and lithaemia was 0.564 +/- 0.0632 mEq/1. The parameters considered were the number of attacks, their intensity and duration; therapy, if any, with traditional psychodrugs (neuroleptics and antidepressants); the number of hospitalizations and their duration. Results were valuated by comparing an equal period of time before and during therapy with lithium. In MDP the number of attacks fell 74.25% and their duration by 83.14%; severe attacks responded better to treatment, with a reduction of 94%. The quantity of traditional psychodrugs used was reduced by 66.42%. The number of hospitalizations fell 75% and days admitted by 80%. In SAP the results were even better: the number of attacks fell by 87.5% and their duration by 94.7%; serious attacks disappeared completely and the quantity of traditional psychodrugs used fell by 57.06%. The number of admittances fell 75% and days in hospital by 97%.