Predictors of response to lithium in patients with psychoses.

OBJECTIVE

This study sought to characterize a subset of patients with DSM-III schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder who respond to lithium.

METHOD

Sixty-six psychotic patients were given a systematic therapeutic trial of lithium alone. Differences in demographic characteristics, symptoms, and family history of psychotic disorders between the responders and nonresponders to lithium were explored.

RESULTS

Responders and nonresponders did not differ significantly in age, duration of illness, length of current episode, distribution of RDC and DSM-III diagnoses, or number of positive symptoms. However, the responders to lithium (N = 10) exhibited a paucity of negative symptoms and an absence of familial schizophrenic spectrum disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

These preliminary results suggest the possibility of pretreatment identification of psychotic patients for whom neuroleptic medication could be avoided by therapeutic intervention with lithium alone.