title: Efficacy of succimer chelation of mercury at background exposures in toddlers: a randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether succimer, a mercaptan compound known to reduce blood lead concentration in children, reduces blood mercury concentration.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used samples from a randomized clinical trial of succimer chelation for lead-exposed children. We measured mercury levels in pre-treatment samples from 767 children. We also measured mercury levels in blood samples drawn 1 week after treatment began (n = 768) and in a 20% random sample of the children who received the maximum 3 courses of treatment (n = 67). A bootstrap-based isotonic regression method was used to compare the trend with time in the difference between the adjusted mean mercury concentrations in the succimer group and that in the placebo group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The adjusted mean organic mercury concentration in the succimer group relative to the placebo group fell from 99% at baseline to 82% after 3 courses of treatment (P for trend = .048), but this resulted from the prevention of the age-related increase in the succimer group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Succimer chelation for low level organic mercury exposure in children has limited efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology Branch, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Jerilynn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Radcliffe
authors.forename: Kim N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Dietrich
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: Shyamal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Peddada
authors.forename: Walter J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Rogan
mesh_terms: D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D057230:Limit of Detection; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood; D008630:Mercury Poisoning / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004113:Succimer / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D004113:Succimer; D008628:Mercury