Mood variability in normal subjects on lithium.

To investigate the effect of lithium carbonate on normal volunteers' moods, we randomly assigned 30 subjects to 5 weeks each of placebo and lithium treatment with crossover at midstudy. Lithium levels were maintained during the treatment period at a mean serum level of 0.54 mEq/L.

Osteoporosis in cystic fibrosis.

To determine if osteoporosis is prevalent among patients with cystic fibrosis, we compared the vertebral bone density measured by quantitative computed tomography in 57 such patients (29 male, 28 female, aged 3 to 21 years) with those of an age-, race-, and sex-matched control group of 57 healthy subjects. Patients with cystic fibrosis had significantly lower bone density (10% lower, p less than 0.001) than in controls.

Corticosteroid toxicity in neuro-oncology patients.

Hospital charts from 59 patients with intracranial malignancy or epidural spinal cord compression were reviewed to establish the frequency of clinically important corticosteroid toxicities and to determine treatment or patient characteristics which were predictive for toxicity. Thirty patients (51%) developed at least one steroid toxicity and eleven (19%) required hospital admission for diagnosis and/or management of steroid-related complications. In this retrospective analysis the duration of steroid therapy and the total administered dose predicted for toxicity.