Lithium Therapy and Leukocytosis

Monitoring and Clinical Considerations

• The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends baseline laboratory assessment, including complete blood cell counts, when initiating lithium therapy, and regular monitoring of white blood cell counts is advised during treatment 1
• A decrease in white blood cell counts below 4,000/mm³ in patients on lithium warrants clinical attention, as this would be unusual given the medication's leukocytosis effect 2