Authors: Hannah N Ladenhauf Ottokar Stundner Florian Spreitzhofer Stefan Deluggi
Publish Date: 2012/07/21
Volume: 28, Issue: 8, Pages: 805-814
Abstract
We report a case series of three children exhibiting severe hyperphosphatemia and hypocalcemia after utilization of sodium phosphatecontaining laxatives necessitating intensive care services in two of three cases Additionally we reviewed 32 case reports of similar occurrencesWe identified 28 publications on the subject dating from 1968 to 2010 Mean age of all children in reports was 283 years sex was approximately equally distributed While 18 patients suffered from either preexisting gastrointestinal comorbidity or other major systemic disease no or only unrelated minor conditions were present in ten children Onethird of patients received laxatives repeatedly before the incident Findings associated with hyperphosphatemia include lethargy dizziness stiffness tachypnea tachycardia and severe dehydration in almost all cases and tetany carpopedal spasm and prolonged QT interval in a subset While about 80 of children recovered without residual findings three deceased and one incurred persistent hypoxic brain damage
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