The role of lithium carbonate in the management of hemolymphoblastosis: estimation of plasmatic and erythrocyte lithium levels.

Twelve patients affected by hemolymphoblastosis were treated with lithium carbonate in order to attenuate neutropenia induced by anticancer drugs. Controls were chosen among patients who had not received lithium treatment after cytostatic therapy. We estimated plasmatic and erythrocyte lithium levels and determined the Erythrocyte lithium rate (ER), i.e., erythrocyte lithium levels expressed as a percentage of plasmatic levels. A significant correlation was found between granulocyte increase at one week (GIW) and ER. No significant correlation was found between GIW and the other two estimation procedures. Therefore, ER seems to be a reliable index of the efficacy of the treatment, and could be used to monitor lithium administration.