Lithium treatment of conduct disorders in adolescents.

Rifkin, A; Karajgi, B; Dicker, R; Perl, E; Boppana, V; Hasan, N; Pollack, S · Am J Psychiatry · 1997

rct · Level II

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Abstract

The authors examined the efficacy of lithium carbonate for treating conduct disorder in adolescents. The subjects were 33 inpatients aged 12-17 years. Lithium or placebo was administered in a double-blind fashion for 2 weeks. On several measures of clinical change the groups showed no significant differences. Of the patients who completed the study, 8.3% of those receiving placebo (one of 12) versus 21.4% (three of 14) of those receiving lithium were considered responders. Lithium does not appear beneficial for this indication.

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