Plasma manganese concentrations in infants and children receiving parenteral nutrition

Manganese is excreted primarily via the bile. The objective of this study was to determine if plasma Mn concentrations were elevated in infants and children fed intravenously who developed cholestatic liver disease. An additional aim was to determine the Mn content of intravenous solutions. The study included nine subjects with normal liver function (group A) and five subjects who developed cholestatic liver disease while fed intravenously (group B). Serum total bilirubin in group B had been elevated for 1 wk to 5 months prior to entry into this study. Mean plasma Mn for group A was 0.79 +/- 0.18 ng/ml, which was similar to that for adult controls. The mean for group B was 3.06 +/- 2.07 ng Mn/ml which was significantly higher (p less than 0.005). Plasma Mn was correlated positively with serum total bilirubin (r = 0.874, p less than 0.001). In four group B subjects studied longitudinally, plasma Mn declined. This decline was associated with a decline in serum total bilirubin in one subject and both a decline in serum total bilirubin and a reduction in, or a cessation of, supplemental intravenous Mn in two subjects. In the fourth subject, hepatic dysfunction remained severe, but plasma Mn declined to a near normal value after discontinuing supplemental intravenous Mn. The mean Mn contamination in the final intravenous infusate was 5.1 +/- 2.1 micrograms Mn/1. In conclusion, it is recommended that plasma Mn concentrations be monitored in patients fed intravenously who have evidence of cholestatic liver disease. If monitoring is not feasible, Mn supplements should be withheld.