Benefits and risks of calcium resonium therapy in hyperkalaemic preterm infants.
The occurrence of an intestinal perforation in a prematurely born infant following rectal administration of a calcium resonium resin prompted a literature review to determine whether use of resins in neonates was evidence based. This revealed that the results of anecdotal series suggested that resins were useful, but the only randomized trial including prematurely born infants demonstrated that resins were less efficacious than glucose and insulin infusions. Important side effects were reported including colonic necrosis and impaction with perforation.


CONCLUSIONS
The risks and benefits of exchange resins in prematurely born infants should be assessed in an appropriately sized randomized trial.
Grammatikopoulos
T
T
Department of Child Health, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
Greenough
A
A
Pallidis
C
C
Davenport
M
M
D006801:Humans; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D019102:Infant, Very Low Birth Weight; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012307:Risk Factors
D011137:Polystyrenes; C003321:polystyrene sulfonic acid