Lithium, polyuria and abnormal diurnal weight gain in psychosis |
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Authors: | W V Vieweg L S Godleski P L Hundley G R Yank |
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Affiliation: | Western State Hospital, Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Virginia. |
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Abstract: | We evaluated diurnal weight gain and polyuria among 31 institutionalized chronically psychotic patients receiving lithium and 42 controls not receiving this drug. The patients were weighed weekly for three weeks at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. We normalized the diurnal weight gain (NDWG) as a percentage by subtracting the 7 a.m. weight from the 4 p.m. weight, multiplying the difference by 100, and then dividing the result by the 7 a.m. weight. Polyuria was assessed using mean urine creatinine concentration (MUCR). NDWG was abnormal among study patients (1.9 +/- 1.2%) and controls (1.6 +/- 1.5%) independent of lithium treatment. The variation in MUCR explained about 20% of the variation in NDWG in both groups. |
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Keywords: | diuresis diurnal variation lithium polyuria psychosis weight gain |
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