title: Elevated plasma aluminum levels in normal infants receiving antacids containing aluminum.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha.
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Tsou
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vanderhoof
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood*; D000863:Antacids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001835:Body Weight; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis
chemical_list: D000863:Antacids; D003404:Creatinine; D000535:Aluminum