Efficacy and Safety of Lithium Treatment in SARS-CoV-2 Infected Patients

Abstract

At the beginning of the pandemic, we observed that lithium carbonate had a positive effect on the recovery of severely ill patients with COVID-19. Lithium is able to inhibit the replication of several types of viruses, some of which are similar to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, increase the immune response and reduce inflammation by preventing or reducing the cytokine storm. Previously, we published an article with data from six patients with severe COVID-19 infection, where we proposed that lithium carbonate could be used as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Now, we set out to conduct a randomized clinical trial number EudraCT 2020–002008–37 to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lithium treatment in patients infected with severe SARS-CoV-2. We showed that lithium was able to reduce the number of days of hospital and intensive care unit admission as well as the risk of death, reduces inflammatory cytokine levels by preventing cytokine storms, and also reduced the long COVID syndromes. We propose that lithium carbonate can be used to reduce the severity of COVID-19.

The Modernization of Clozapine

“…61,62 Lithium was also associated with reduced hospitalization days, need for intensive care unit admission, and death. 62 Beyond Clozapine REMS: Risks Overshadowed?…”

“…Lithium, which has been used to counteract clozapine-associated neutropenia, was recently reported in an RCT to alter inflammatory activity and immune response during COVID-19 infection 61,62 . Lithium was also associated with reduced hospitalization days, need for intensive care unit admission, and death 62 …”

Can lithium be used in the setting of clozapine commencement in patients with COVID‐19 associated neutropenia: A case report

“…Lithium has also been proposed as a treatment option in COVID-19 as it exerts both antiviral and immunomodulatory effects. 24 Preclinical studies have demonstrated that lithium can inhibit replication of various types of viruses including those belonging to coronavirus family. 25 The antiviral mechanisms of lithium are thought to be related to inhibition of phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway, regulation of autophagy, and inhibition of glycogen kinase-3 isoform.…”

“…Lithium has also been proposed as a treatment option in COVID‐19 as it exerts both antiviral and immunomodulatory effects 24 . Preclinical studies have demonstrated that lithium can inhibit replication of various types of viruses including those belonging to coronavirus family 25 .…”

“…Preclinical studies have demonstrated that lithium can inhibit replication of various types of viruses including those belonging to coronavirus family 25 . The antiviral mechanisms of lithium are thought to be related to inhibition of phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway, regulation of autophagy, and inhibition of glycogen kinase‐3 isoform 24 . Results from a case report found that treatment with lithium in COVID‐19 patients is associated with a reduction in C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels along with NLR and PLR 25 .…”