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Findings that shed new light on the possible pathogenesis of a disease or an adverse effect
Strange taste and mild lithium intoxication
  1. Takeshi Terao1,
  2. Shosuke Watanabe2,
  3. Nobuhiko Hoaki3,
  4. Takayuki Hoaki4
  1. 1Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan
  2. 2Kawada Hospital, Kawasaki Medical School, Okayama, Japan
  3. 3Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan
  4. 4Hoaki Hospital, Oita, Japan
  1. Correspondence to Professor Takeshi Terao, terao{at}oita-u.ac.jp

Summary

So far, it has not been emphasised that lithium can lose or change taste in some patients. This report addresses such side effect of lithium. A 61-year-old bipolar patient experienced taste changes while increasing lithium levels up to 1.28 mEq/l and the taste changes returned to normal after lithium discontinuation. The present findings suggest that changes in tastes may be a symptom of mild lithium intoxication.

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr.05.2011.4267

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interests None.

    • Patient consent Obtained.