Elevated plasma aluminium levels in normal infants receiving antacids containing aluminium

Aluminum toxicity is a documented cause of encephalopathy, anemia, and osteomalacia. Excretion is primarily renal; therefore, patients with renal insufficiency are at risk for aluminum accumulation and toxicity. This has been demonstrated in uremic children treated with aluminum-containing antacids....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatrics (Evanston) 1991-02, Vol.87 (2), p.148-151
Main Authors: TSOU, V. M, YOUNG, R. M, HART, M. H, VANDERHOOF, J. A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum (Nutrient)
Aluminum - adverse effects
Aluminum - blood
Aluminum in the body
Antacids
Antacids - administration & dosage
Biological and medical sciences
Body Weight
Creatinine - blood
Digestive system
Dosage and administration
Drug Administration Schedule
Female
Gastroesophageal Reflux - drug therapy
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Infants
Kidney - physiology
Male
Medical sciences
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Physiological aspects
Regression Analysis
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Summary:Aluminum toxicity is a documented cause of encephalopathy, anemia, and osteomalacia. Excretion is primarily renal; therefore, patients with renal insufficiency are at risk for aluminum accumulation and toxicity. This has been demonstrated in uremic children treated with aluminum-containing antacids. The purpose of this study was to determine whether plasma aluminum levels were elevated in infants with normal renal function during prolonged aluminum-containing antacid use. Ten study infants (mean age = 5.8 months), who had been receiving antacids for at least 1 week, were compared with 16 control infants (mean age = 9.8 months) not receiving antacids. The study patients consumed 123 +/- 16 mg/kg per day (mean +/- SEM) of elemental aluminum for an average of 4.7 weeks. Their plasma aluminum level (37.2 +/- 7.13 micrograms/L) was significantly greater than that of the control group (4.13 +/- 0.66 micrograms/L) (P less than .005). It is concluded that plasma aluminum levels may become elevated in infants with normal renal function who are consuming high doses of aluminum-containing antacids. The safety of antacids containing aluminum should not be assumed and they should be used judiciously in infants, with careful monitoring of the aluminum dose and plasma level.
ISSN:0031-4005
1098-4275
DOI:10.1542/peds.87.2.148