| [ Summary ] |
A new non-calcium, non-aluminum phosphate binder, lanthanum carbonate has been introduced. Up to this time, a number of phosphate binders have been tried experimentally or clinically, but no satisfactory agents have been developed for clinical use, because of their low efficacy or their adverse effects.
Lanthanum carbonate may potentially be a useful and safe phosphate binder for patients undergoing dialysis, however, some issues remain to be solved before worldwide use can begin. These issues include developing accurate and low-cost methods of determining levels of lanthanum in the plasma, tissues and bone, and the also longterm clinical outcomes, especially in relation to adverse phenomena, with continuous exposure to lanthanum. |