Sodium polystyrene sulfonate treatment for lithium toxicity: effects on serum potassium concentrations.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) on serum potassium (K) concentrations in mice pretreated with parenteral lithium (Li).


METHODS
A placebo-controlled murine model trial of SPS therapy following IV Li was performed. Sixty male CD-1 mice weighing 18-22 g were administered either IV LiCl (125 mg/kg) or a control solution (normal saline). Half of the mice in each of these groups were then given orogastric water 20, 40, 90, 150, and 210 minutes after LiCl or normal saline; the other half received SPS (5 g/kg/dose) at equivalent times. Subgroups of each of these four groups were sacrificed at one, two, and six hours after pretreatment and the serum was analyzed for K concentration. Serum K concentrations for the various groups were compared with analysis of variance and Newman-Keuls tests for the comparison of multiple means.


RESULTS
A statistically significant reduction of serum K concentrations occurred in the animals that received SPS treatment following either IV saline or LiCl solutions. The degree of K reduction that resulted from the combination of LiCl and SPS treatment (35% reduction at six hours, compared with the placebo-treated controls) was larger than that which resulted from either IV Li with oral water (15% reduction) or IV saline with oral SPS (20% reduction).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that development of hypokalemia may represent a potential limitation in the use of SPS in the treatment for Li toxicity.
Linakis
J G
JG
Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence 02903, USA. james_linakis_phd@brown.edu
Hull
K M
KM
Lacouture
P G
PG
Lockhart
G R
GR
Lewander
W J
WJ
Maher
T J
TJ
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000188:drug therapy; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008094:Lithium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011137:Polystyrenes; C003321:polystyrene sulfonic acid; D008094:Lithium; D011188:Potassium