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Renal Damage During Continuous Versus Intermittent Treatment with Lithium

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate renal damage in animals treated with lithium continuously versus intermittently. Rats were randomized into three groups: control group fed ad libitum powered standard diet for 3 months and two experimental groups, one of them fed ad libitum the same diet or the same diet supplemented with 60 mmol of lithium/kg diet every alternate week, for 3 months and the other fed ad libitum powered standard diet for one and a half month and the same diet supplemented with 60 mmol of lithium/kg diet for the last month and a half. Lithemias in experimental groups were within therapeutic range used in humans. At the end of the protocol, diuresis was higher in experimental groups compared to control group. There was no difference in serum creatinine and creatinine clearance. Both experimental groups showed hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and dilatation of cortical collecting tubules although dilatation was greater in continuous group. Longer studies are necessary to clarify the evolution of renal damage. Our preliminary study shows that histopathological damage associated with the use of lithium occurs during both continuous and intermittent treatment, but it seems to be somewhat greater in the continuous group.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Eugenia Gelabert and Graciela Giardina for histotechnical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre of Experimental and Applied Pathology, Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Georgina P. Ossani, Ana M. Uceda & Néstor R. Lago

  2. Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Hospital Alemán, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Georgina P. Ossani & Ana M. Uceda

  3. National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Georgina P. Ossani & Diego J. Martino

  4. Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Osvaldo J. Ponzo

  5. Institute of Cognitive and Translational Neuroscience (INCyT), INECO Foundation, Favaloro University, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Diego J. Martino

Authors
  1. Georgina P. Ossani
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  2. Ana M. Uceda
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  3. Osvaldo J. Ponzo
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  4. Néstor R. Lago
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  5. Diego J. Martino
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Correspondence to Georgina P. Ossani.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted (Animal Welfare Committee number 2366).

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Ossani, G.P., Uceda, A.M., Ponzo, O.J. et al. Renal Damage During Continuous Versus Intermittent Treatment with Lithium. Biol Trace Elem Res 199, 3411–3415 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02465-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-020-02465-5

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