Effects of toxic lithium levels on ECG: findings from the LiSIE retrospective cohort studyShow others and affiliations
2022 (English)In: Journal of Clinical Medicine, E-ISSN 2077-0383, Vol. 11, no 19, article id 5941Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
(1) Background: Few studies have explored the impact of lithium intoxication on the heart.
(2) Methods: We examined electrocardiogram (ECG) changes associated with lithium intoxication in the framework of the LiSIE (Lithium-Study into Effects and Side Effects) retrospective cohort study. We analysed ECGs before, during, and after intoxication.
(3) Results: Of the 1136 patients included, 92 patients had experienced 112 episodes of lithium intoxication. For 55 episodes, there was an ECG available at the time; for 48 episodes, there was a reference ECG available before and/or after the lithium intoxication. Lithium intoxication led to a statistically significant decrease in heart rate from a mean 76 beats/min (SD 16.6) before intoxication to 73 beats/min (SD 17.1) during intoxication (p = 0.046). QTc correlated only weakly with lithium concentration (ρ = 0.329, p = 0.014). However, in 24% of lithium intoxication episodes, there were QT prolongations. In 54% of these, QTc exceeded 500 ms; patients with chronic intoxications being more affected.
(4) Conclusions: Based on summary statistics, effects of lithium intoxication on HR and QTc seem mostly discrete and not clinically relevant. However, QT prolongation can carry a risk of becoming severe. Therefore, an ECG should always be taken in patients presenting with lithium intoxication.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MDPI, 2022. Vol. 11, no 19, article id 5941
Keywords [en]
lithium, drug-related side effects and adverse reactions, toxicity, long QT syndrome, electrocardiography
National Category
Psychiatry Cardiac and Cardiovascular Systems
Research subject
Medicine; Cardiology; Psychiatry
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-201264DOI: 10.3390/jcm11195941ISI: 000866822000001PubMedID: 36233807Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85139754027OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-201264DiVA, id: diva2:1713316
Funder
Norrbotten County Council, NLL-931604Norrbotten County Council, NLL-941888Norrbotten County Council, NLL-9694132022-11-242022-11-242023-05-25Bibliographically approved