TY - JOUR
T1 - Toxicokinetics of mercury elimination by succimer in twin toddlers
AU - Fayez, Ibrahim
AU - Paiva, Michelle
AU - Thompson, Margaret
AU - Verjee, Zulfukarali
AU - Koren, Gideon
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported in part by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and Jonathan’s Alert, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto. Dr Koren is the holder of the Ivey Chair in Molecular Toxicology, The University of Western Ontario. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this review.
PY - 2005
Y1 - 2005
N2 - We describe the toxicokinetics of mercury in two twin toddlers poisoned by an East Indian remedy for teething. Succimer (dimercaprosuccinic acid, DMSA) decreased the plasma elimination half-life of mercury by 3-fold in the patient with high exposure; a more modest effect was observed in the other twin. Succimer is a chelation agent used in the treatment of heavy metal intoxication. A water-soluble agent, it increases the urinary excretion of lead and mercury. The drug is rapidly but variably absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, with peak levels occurring at 1-2 hours. After its absorption, peak mercury excretion through the urine occurs within 2-4 hours. In the poisoned twin sisters, succimer administration led to a mercury plasma elimination half-life of 6 weeks. Although succimer has been used in mercury poisoning in adults and children, the toxicokinetics of mercury have not previously been characterized in either age group. We believe this is the first such description. More studies on the toxicokinetics and dynamics of mercury chelation with succimer in young children are needed to ensure the optimal use of the drug in this population.
AB - We describe the toxicokinetics of mercury in two twin toddlers poisoned by an East Indian remedy for teething. Succimer (dimercaprosuccinic acid, DMSA) decreased the plasma elimination half-life of mercury by 3-fold in the patient with high exposure; a more modest effect was observed in the other twin. Succimer is a chelation agent used in the treatment of heavy metal intoxication. A water-soluble agent, it increases the urinary excretion of lead and mercury. The drug is rapidly but variably absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, with peak levels occurring at 1-2 hours. After its absorption, peak mercury excretion through the urine occurs within 2-4 hours. In the poisoned twin sisters, succimer administration led to a mercury plasma elimination half-life of 6 weeks. Although succimer has been used in mercury poisoning in adults and children, the toxicokinetics of mercury have not previously been characterized in either age group. We believe this is the first such description. More studies on the toxicokinetics and dynamics of mercury chelation with succimer in young children are needed to ensure the optimal use of the drug in this population.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=29244454589&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.2165/00148581-200507060-00008
DO - 10.2165/00148581-200507060-00008
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C2 - 16356027
AN - SCOPUS:29244454589
SN - 1174-5878
VL - 7
SP - 397
EP - 400
JO - Paediatric Drugs
JF - Paediatric Drugs
IS - 6
ER -