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In the past, lithium has been associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with bipolar disorders. To determine whether patients should continue or discontinue lithium after CKD diagnosis, investigators used Danish health registry data to determine rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD; requiring dialysis or transplant) and excess death risk in CKD patients taking lithium or anticonvulsants.
Overall, within 10 years after a first CKD diagnosis, patients on lithium (N=754) or anticonvulsants (N=5004) had absolute rates of ESRD of ≈20%. Of the 238 lithium recipients with diagnoses of bipolar disorder (53% women; median age, 66; median follow-up, 6 years); 32% remained on lithium (as measured by prescriptions) for at least a year a…