Table 3.
Monitoring of physical and laboratory parameters
| Parameter | Monitoring before start of treatment | Frequency of monitoring during the first 6 months of treatment | Frequency of monitoring per year during maintenance treatment | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Never | 1–3× | ≥ 4× | Never | Once | 2–3× | ≥ 4× | ||
| Physical parameters | ||||||||
| Physical parameters (at least one parameter) | 104 (88%) | 17 (14%) | 76 (64%) | 24 (21%) | 12 (10%) | 58 (49%) | 28 (24%) | 19 (16%) |
| Body weight | 92 (79%) | 32 (27%) | 70 (60%) | 15 (13%) | 20 (17%) | 58 (50%) | 25 (21%) | 14 (12%) |
| Blood pressure | 88 (75%) | 35 (30%) | 63 (54%) | 19 (16%) | 28 (24%) | 51 (44%) | 24 (21%) | 14 (12%) |
| Pulse | 79 (68%) | 43 (37%) | 56 (48%) | 18 (15%) | 38 (32%) | 48 (41%) | 19 (16%) | 12 (10%) |
| Body mass index (BMI) | 63 (54%) | 54 (46%) | 54 (46%) | 9 (8%) | 45 (38%) | 47 (40%) | 16 (14%) | 9 (8%) |
| Electrocardiogram (ECG) | 51 (44%) | 66 (56%) | 46 (39%) | 5 (4%) | 71 (61%) | 31 (27%) | 12 (10%) | 3 (3%) |
| Waist circumference | 45 (38%) | 72 (62%) | 42 (36%) | 3 (3%) | 65 (56%) | 38 (32%) | 9 (8%) | 5 (4%) |
| Pregnancy test | 40 (34%) | 90 (77%) | 24 (21%) | 3 (3%) | 102 (87%) | 7 (6%) | 6 (5%) | 2 (2%) |
| 24 h urine examination | 23 (20%) | 93 (79%) | 21 (18%) | 3 (3%) | 88 (75%) | 23 (20%) | 2 (2%) | 4 (3%) |
| Renal function | ||||||||
| Renal function (at least one parameter) | 116 (99%) | 3 (3%) | 88 (75%) | 26 (22%) | 0 | 25 (21%) | 60 (51%) | 32 (27%) |
| Creatinine | 116 (99%) | 3 (3%) | 88 (75%) | 26 (22%) | 0 | 26 (22%) | 59 (50%) | 32 (27%) |
| Urea | 101 (86%) | 21 (18%) | 78 (67%) | 18 (15%) | 18 (15%) | 22 (19%) | 48 (41%) | 29 (25%) |
| Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) | 100 (85%) | 19 (16%) | 76 (65%) | 22 (19%) | 13 (11%) | 22 (19%) | 52 (44%) | 30 (26%) |
| Albumin | 66 (56%) | 46 (39%) | 60 (51%) | 11 (9%) | 42 (36%) | 21 (18%) | 34 (29%) | 20 (17%) |
| Thyroid function | ||||||||
| Thyroid function (at least one parameter) | 115 (98%) | 2 (2%) | 104 (89%) | 11 (9%) | 0 | 43 (36%) | 54 (46%) | 20 (17%) |
| Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) | 115 (98%) | 2 (2%) | 104 (89%) | 11 (9%) | 1 (1%) | 42 (36%) | 54 (46%) | 20 (17%) |
| Thyroxine (T4) | 82 (70%) | 30 (26%) | 80 (68%) | 7 (6%) | 28 (24%) | 33 (28%) | 41 (35%) | 15 (13%) |
| Parathyroid function | ||||||||
| Parathyroid hormone (PTH) | 32 (27%) | 79 (68%) | 35 (30%) | 3 (3%) | 72 (62%) | 22 (19%) | 17 (15%) | 6 (5%) |
| Electrolytes | ||||||||
| Electrolytes (at least one parameter) | 107 (91%) | 10 (9%) | 86 (73%) | 21 (18%) | 8 (7%) | 34 (29%) | 49 (42%) | 26 (22%) |
| Sodium | 103 (88%) | 17 (15%) | 80 (68%) | 20 (17%) | 14 (12%) | 32 (27%) | 46 (39%) | 25 (21%) |
| Potassium | 101 (86%) | 18 (15%) | 79 (68%) | 20 (17%) | 15 (13%) | 32 (27%) | 45 (38%) | 25 (21%) |
| Calcium | 94 (80%) | 21 (18%) | 81 (69%) | 15 (13%) | 19 (16%) | 35 (30%) | 44 (38%) | 19 (16%) |
| Hematological parameters | ||||||||
| Hematological parameters (at least one parameter) | 106 (90%) | 26 (22%) | 79 (67%) | 12 (10%) | 24 (21%) | 51 (44%) | 29 (25%) | 13 (11%) |
| Full blood count | 102 (87%) | 32 (27%) | 73 (62%) | 12 (10%) | 30 (26%) | 47 (40%) | 29 (25%) | 11 (9%) |
| Leukocytes | 101 (86%) | 30 (26%) | 75 (64%) | 12 (10%) | 27 (23%) | 50 (43%) | 27 (23%) | 13 (11%) |
| Leukocyte differentiation | 87 (74%) | 40 (34%) | 67 (57%) | 10 (9%) | 38 (32%) | 45 (38%) | 25 (21%) | 9 (8%) |
| Lipid profile | ||||||||
| Lipid profile (at least one parameter) | 73 (62%) | 57 (49%) | 55 (47%) | 5 (4%) | 42 (36%) | 53 (45%) | 18 (15%) | 4 (3%) |
| Triglycerides | 71 (61%) | 58 (50%) | 54 (46%) | 5 (4%) | 43 (37%) | 52 (44%) | 18 (15%) | 4 (3%) |
| Total cholesterol | 71 (61%) | 59 (50%) | 53 (45%) | 5 (4%) | 44 (38%) | 52 (44%) | 17 (15%) | 4 (3%) |
| High density lipoprotein (HDL) | 69 (59%) | 60 (51%) | 53 (45%) | 4 (3%) | 45 (38%) | 51 (44%) | 18 (15%) | 3 (3%) |
| Low density lipoprotein (LDL) | 67 (57%) | 63 (54%) | 50 (43%) | 4 (3%) | 48 (41%) | 49 (42%) | 17 (15%) | 3 (3%) |
| Very low density lipoprotein (vLDL) | 35 (30%) | 84 (72%) | 32 (27%) | 1 (1%) | 71 (61%) | 35 (30%) | 11 (9%) | 0 |
| Hepatic function | ||||||||
| Hepatic function (at least one parameter) | 68 (58%) | 61 (52%) | 48 (41%) | 8 (7%) | 54 (46%) | 37 (32%) | 20 (17%) | 6 (5%) |
| Alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) | 68 (58%) | 62 (53%) | 47 (40%) | 8 (7%) | 55 (47%) | 37 (32%) | 19 (16%) | 6 (5%) |
| Aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) | 66 (56%) | 64 (55%) | 46 (39%) | 7 (6%) | 55 (47%) | 37 (32%) | 19 (16%) | 6 (5%) |
| Bilirubin | 34 (29%) | 79 (68%) | 33 (28%) | 5 (4%) | 71 (61%) | 27 (23%) | 15 (13%) | 3 (3%) |
| Other laboratory parameters | ||||||||
| Fasting glucose | 79 (67%) | 48 (41%) | 63 (54%) | 6 (5%) | 35 (30%) | 56 (48%) | 20 (17%) | 6 (5%) |
Italicized cells represent most reported answers after initiation of lithium treatment