Potassium Chloride Therapy and Serum Potassium in Infantile Eczema. ∗

Abstract

The observation has been made that the administration of potassium chloride to young children with bronchial asthma has given relief in some instances, especially when the intake of sodium chloride has been held at a low level. The ingestion of the potassium salt causes a cessation of the milder attacks of asthma, but in the more severe cases the asthma continues while the potassium chloride is being taken but ceases almost at once when the salt is discontinued. 1 Some of these subjects have had eczema during infancy and up to the time of the onset of the asthma. They appeared to respond best to the potassium chloride therapy.

Recent writings on eczema have emphasized the nonspecific factors as a cause of the disease. The skin of the infant especially the horny layer is thinner than that of the older child and the terminal capillaries show differences of configuration. The infant's skin has a higher content of water and of sodium chloride and a lower potassium/sodium ratio. 2 These features tend to disappear with growth but in the child with eczema they may remain or change slowly. The administration of potassium to increase the potassium/sodium ratio has been recommended. No careful studies have been made to determine the value of this nonspecific form of therapy in infantile eczema.

Six infants with eczema ranging in age from 7 to 16 months were chosen and placed under constant environmental conditions in the hospital. Nurses carefully instructed in the care of these little patients, bathed them with mineral oil, and applied only unquentum acidi borici. To prevent scratching it was necessary to use sedatives such as chloral hydrate. The infants were given an evaporated milk formula consisting of equal parts of irradiated unsweetened evaporated milk and distilled water.