Antidepressant effect of lithium in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and cerebral infarction, treated with corticosteroid.

Two depressive patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and cerebral infarction, while being treated with corticosteroid, are described. In both cases, lithium was remarkably effective and no severe side-effects occurred. These findings suggest that lithium can be a useful antidepressant agent in the treatment of depressive SLE patients.