Melamine Kidney Problems Linger
Reported February 24, 2010
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — In 2008, melamine-contaminated dairy products from the Sanlu Dairy Company in China resulted in a large outbreak of serious kidney damage in Chinese children. While the majority of these children recovered, kidney abnormalities remained in 12 percent of the affected children.
The melamine was intentionally added to milk to boost its protein content. Of the 69 affected batches of product, 11 were baby formula.
Chinese authorities announced the outbreak on September 12, 2008, and initiated product recalls and programs to screen and treat affected children. More than 50,000 children were hospitalized and six died due to kidney damage.
In a tragic irony, the formula for Sanlu Infant Milk and its related technology was awarded a prestigious Chinese science and technology award about eight months before the recall was announced.
The study area included eight towns in Yuanshi County of Shijiazhuang City, where the dairy company is located and its products are distributed. The researchers conducted ultrasounds on 7,933 children under 3 years old as of September 2008 whose mothers lived in the study area.
“The subjects were from a naturally living population with probably the highest melamine exposure worldwide, and thus the estimated prevalence represented the risk of renal damage in a population following heavy exposure to melamine,” Dr. Jian-meng Liu, of the Peking University Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, was quoted as saying.
Among the children who were screened, some had evidence of kidney stones and swelling, but most were asymptomatic. The majority of the affected children recovered from melamine toxic effects over time without specific treatment. However, kidney abnormalities remained in 12 percent of affected children. “Our results indicate the need for further follow-up of the affected children to evaluate possible long-term impact on children’s health, including renal function,” study authors wrote.
In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Jin-Ling Tang of the School of Public Health and Primary Care at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, was quoted as saying, “It is difficult to assess the importance and reliability of a piece of research soon after his completion. Giving away prizes too quickly may result in mistakes, as in the case of Sanlu infant milk.”
SOURCE: Canadian Medical Association Journal, (CMAJ), February 23, 2010