Objectives: Previous studies have shown that oral SPS(Kayexalate®) lowers serum Li concentrations (conc) after acute and chronic toxic Li exposures. Because hypokalemia may represent a deterrent to the clinical use of SPS for Li intoxication, this study was designed to determine whether K+ repletion interferes with the effect of SPS on Li.Interventions: 168 male, CD-1 mice were given LiCl (250 mg/kg) by gavage at time 0. Half of the mice were then given SPS (5 g/kg/dose) and half an equivalent volume of water (W) by gavage at times 20 & 40 mins. Half of each of these subgroups was then given KCl (3 mEq/kg) ip (Groups W/KCl & SPS/KCl) and half an equivalent volume of normal saline (Groups W/NS & SPS/NS). Samples were then sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, & 8 hr after Li administration & serum analyzed for Li & K+ conc. Groups were compared with ANOVA. Results: 1. SPS lowered both Li and K+ conc (Ps ≤.0001). 2. KCl treatment was associated with transiently increased K+ conc (P <.0001) and with mildly elevated Li conc when compared to animals not treated with KCl (P =.0016). 3. The KCl treatment-associated increase in Li conc occurred in both animals treated with W and those treated with SPS. TableConclusions: K+ repletion did not significantly interfere with the ability of SPS to lower serum Li conc in animals experimentally poisoned with Li.

Table 1
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