Effect of sodium polystyrene sulfonate on lithium bioavailability.

Abstract

To examine the effect of a single dose of sodium polystyrene sulfonate and sorbitol on lithium absorption. Prospective, randomized, crossover. University teaching hospital. Healthy volunteers. Subjects ingested 600 mg lithium carbonate on two occasions, with and without 30 g concomitant sodium polystyrene sulfonate. Blood samples were drawn up to 24 hours after ingestion and assayed for serum lithium concentration. Compared with control, sodium polystyrene sulfonate and sorbitol reduced the area under the lithium serum concentration-time curve by 11.33%, reduced the mean observed peak serum lithium concentration 0.07 +/- 0.08 mmol/L, and delayed the time to the mean observed peak serum lithium concentration by 2.04 +/- 2.40 hours. Sodium polystyrene sulfonate and sorbitol may be used in patients immediately or shortly after ingestion of a significant acute overdose of lithium in situations in which hemodialysis cannot be instituted promptly.