The potential use of adjunctive intraerythrocyte (RBC) lithium levels in detecting serious impending neurotoxicity in the elderly: Two case reports

The lithium literature indicates that geriatric psychiatric patients are particularly at risk for developing serious neurotoxic side‐effects. There is currently no reliable method for predicting which patients are at heightened risk for this adverse development. There is evidence that the adjunctive monitoring of intra‐erythrocyte (RBC) lithium levels may offer early indications that such toxicity is impending. Applications of such measurements are shown in two case reports which offer preliminary support for the value of RBC levels.