The effects of lithium treatment on blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and serum citrate levels

Abstract

In this study, the effects of short- and long-term lithium carbonate treatment on serum citrate, blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin levels were studied. The blood glucose and glycosylated haemoglobin levels of the patients treated with lithium carbonate (n = 30) for a short period (1 month) showed no significant difference from the control group, but the serum citrate levels were significantly higher (p < 0.001). After long-term lithium carbonate treatment (27 +/- 5 weeks) the blood glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin and serum citrate levels were significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.001). These findings indicate that the increase in blood glucose level could be observed later in patients treated with lithium carbonate. However, the increase in citrate levels even with short-term usage of lithium carbonate indicates that this may be used as an early marker of carbohydrate metabolism disorders.