Prædiktorer for præmaturt ophør af recidivforebyggende lithiumbehandling Vurderet efter 2 års follow-up

The purpose of this prospective study of 133 affective disorder patients consecutively referred to start lithium treatment was to identify predictors of importance for non-adherence. The non-adherent group was defined as the 56 (42.1%) of the patient who disrupted lithium during the two years. The non-adherent patients had more readmissions during the two years than the patients adherent to lithium. Young age and male sex only showed a weak association to non-adherence. Social background variables such as educational level, social class etc., indices for social stability and support, and recent life events did not show any association to non-adherence. Not married individuals were more frequently non-adherent. Inadequate level of information of treatment only showed a weak association to non-adherence. Many earlier admissions to psychiatric hospitals were significantly associated to non-adherence. The diagnostic subgroups, the character of the index episode and free intervals were not of importance, howev...