Li+ in serum/plasma/blood

Indications

• therapeutic drug monitoring, lithium carbonate therapy
  • bipolar affective disorder

Reference interval

• therapeutic range: 0.5-1.4 mmol/L

Clinical significance

• relatively narrow therapeutic range
• see lithium carbonate for toxicity

Increases

• lithium toxicity

Methods

• flame emission spectroscopy (FES)
• atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS)
• ion-specific electrode (ISE)

Specimen

• whole blood, serum, plasma (EDTA, heparin)
• collect sample > 12 hours after last dose
• separate from cells if not assayed within 4 hours
• stable at room temperature for 24 hours
• stable for 7 days refrigerated
• stable indefinitely at -20 degrees C

Interferences

• Na+, K+ & Ca+2 may interfere with flame emission method & require background correction

More general terms

• lithium measurement
• therapeutic drug measurement

More specific terms

• Li+ free in serum/plasma
• Li+ in serum/plasma

Additional terms

• Li+
• lithium carbonate (Eskalith, Lithane, Lithobid, Lithonate)
• pharmaceutical lithium