Comparison of dimercaptosuccinic acid and calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid versus dimercaptopropanol and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid in children with lead poisoning

Objectives: To compare the response to dimercaptopropanol (BAL) and calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) versus orally administered meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) and EDTA in children with lead poisoning. Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of children admitted to Metro-Health Medical Center with a whole blood lead (BPb) concentration of 2.17 mu mol/L (45 mu g/dl) or more (or less than 2.17 mu mol/L and not a candidate for outpatient oral chelation) acid treated with BAL + EDTA or DMSA + EDTA, In each group, the mean BPb values at the end of therapy and at 14 and 33 days after chelation were compared with pretreatment BPb by the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, whereas the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare percentage change from pretreatment at each follow-up day between the two groups. Results: Twenty-three children received BAL + EDTA and 22 received DMSA + EDTA. The BPb values (mean +/- SD) at the end of therapy and at 14 and 33 days after chelation were significantly lower than pretreatment in both groups (BAL + EDTA: 17 +/- 10, 34 +/- 7, 36 +/- 11 vs 58 +/- 14 mu g/dl, p < 0.02, 0.01, 0.001, respectively; DMSA + EDTA: 10 +/- 4, 30 +/- 10, 30 +/- 14 vs 50 +/- 10 mu g/dl, p < 0.01, 0.001, 0.01, respectively). The percentage reduction (mean +/- SD) in BPb from pretreatment at the end of therapy and on clays 14, and 33 after chelation did not differ between the groups (BAL + EDTA: -71.2% +/- 19.8%, -40.2% +/- 13.8%, -37.1% +/- 17%; DMSA + EDTA: -79.9% +/- 8.7%, -38.3% +/- 21.6%, -37% +/- 32%; p > 0.20). Elevation of alanine aminotransferase and vomiting during therapy were observed more frequently in the BAL + EDTA group compared with the DMSA + EDTA group, Conclusions: Treatment with DMSA or BAL combined with EDTA results in a comparable reduction in BPb.