Sevelamer therapy for pediatric end-stage renal disease

Sevelamer, a non-calcium-containing, non-aluminum-containing phosphate binder, is frequently prescribed for treatment in adults with hyperphosphatemia secondary to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, published information regarding sevelamer use in children younger than 11 years is lacking. We report the use of sevelamer as a phosphate binder in a 19-month-old girl with ESRD who was receiving calcium carbonate 1250 mg 3 times/day for hyperphosphatemia. The patient's initial serum phosphorus concentration was 8.6 mg/dl, and the calcium-phosphorus product was 75 mg(2)/dl(2). This was well above the level that places patients at risk for complications such as joint, vessel, and soft-tissue calcification. An aluminum-containing phosphate binder was not an option given the patient's renal disease and the concern for neurotoxicity. Sevelamer was considered, but a MEDLINE search revealed no pediatric dosing information. An initial dosage of 100 mg/kg/day divided every 8 hours was administered, as extrapolated from adult data, and then titrated to 130 mg/kg/day divided every 8 hours based on the patient's response. The child's dietary phosphorus intake remained constant throughout her hospital stay. During sevelamer therapy, her serum phosphorus concentration dropped as low as 5.2 mg/dl; at discharge it was 6.5 mg/dl, with a corresponding calcium-phosphorus product in the upper 50s. No adverse effects associated with sevelamer were observed. In the dosages we used, sevelamer resulted in an acceptable calcium-phosphorus product and returned the patient's serum phosphorus concentration to near normal. Sevelamer appears to be a viable option as a phosphate binder in children with ESRD.