Hematological effects of lithium potentiation of carbamazepine in patients with affective illness.

Hematological indices were measured in 8 patients with bipolar disorder during carbamazepine and carbamazepine-lithium combination treatment. Carbamazepine treatment was associated with limited reductions in white blood cell indices. Combined lithium-carbamazepine treatment reversed the reductions in total white cell and neutrophil counts. The clinical and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.