Long-term lithium prophylaxis in recurrent unipolar depression. A controversial indication?

The authors assessed results obtained with long-term lithium maintenance in a group of 33 recurrent unipolar patients, followed regularly in the outpatient clinic of the Chaim Sheba Medical Center for 1-15 years. They analyzed changes of frequency, severity and duration of depressive relapses, rate and duration of hospitalization, suicidal ideas or attemps, and various assessments of outcome. A significant reduction was found on all indices during lithium management as compared to before lithium treatment, attesting to the efficacy of long-term prophylactic lithium in recurrent unipolar depression. These results are discussed and compared with those from other reports.