Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:1155-1158
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
Lead and hyperactivity. Behavioral response to chelation: a pilot study
OJ David, SP Hoffman, J Sverd, J Clark and K Voeller
Lead-chelating medication was used to treat 13 hyperkinetic school children
whose blood and urine lead levels were in an elevated but "nontoxic" range.
Six children with histories of etiologically relevant perinatal or
developmental complications showed relatively little improvement. Seven
other children with unremarkable histories, and for whom a lead etiology
could thus be entertained, showed marked improvement. The authors conclude
that lead may play an important role in the etiology of some cases of
hyperactivity; lead-chelating agents may have a major place in the
treatment of hyperactivity; and the medical workup of hyperactivity should
include lead level measurements and careful consideration of other possible
etiological factors.
