Introduction:
Melamine is a nitrogen-based compound that many manufacturers use to make a variety of products, especially plastic tableware. When manufacturers make plastic products with melamine, they use high heat to mold the substance. Most of the melamine compounds are used up by heat, but a small amount usually remains in dishes, cups, utensils, etc. If the melamine gets too hot, it will begin to melt and can leak into the food or beverage. Melamine is also added to food to adulterate it for showing high protein content. Acute kidney injury refers to the deterioration of renal function over hours or days, leading to the accumulation of toxic wastes and loss of internal balance of the body.
What Is Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease?
Because of its high nitrogen content, melamine has been used to adulterate animal and human foods. This leads to erroneous results in nitrogen-based assays that measure the protein content of foods. Ingestion of melamine leads to toxic effects, mainly on the kidneys. Its severity depends on whether a related compound, cyanuric acid, is also present. Ingestion of melamine in human infants is associated with kidney damage due to the precipitation of melamine in the lower urinary tract and the formation of melamine urate stones, but with low mortality. Various toxic effects of melamine, such as nephrolithiasis (stone in the urinary system), chronic nephritis (inflammation in nephrons in the kidney), and bladder cancer.
What Are the Causes of Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease?
The causes of melamine toxicity-Induced kidney disease are listed below:
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Food Serving Dishes - Melamine is used in the manufacturing process of plastic dishes. Using melamine dishes for heating food and using acidic food in the dishes causes the melamine chemical to leach into the food and have toxic effects on the body.
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Adulteration in Food Items - Melamine is added to food items to show higher protein content of the food to pass approval tests of food. This is practiced widely in the food manufacturing industry and is seldom checked by the authorities.
Who Is at Risk of Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease?
The risk factors for melamine toxicity-Induced kidney disease are listed below:
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People who heat and consume food daily in melamine dishes.
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People who are consuming food adulterated with melamine in it.
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People who are drinking or consuming acidic food from melamine dishes.
What Are the Symptoms of Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease?
The symptoms of melamine toxicity-induced kidney disease are listed below:
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Shortness of breath.
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Nausea.
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Pain or pressure in the chest.
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Swelling in the legs, hands, and feet caused by retention of fluid.
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Decreased urine output.
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Irregular heartbeat.
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Shortness of breath.
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Fatigue.
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Confusion.
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Weakness.
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Chest pain or pressure.
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Seizures or coma.
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Stone formation in the urinary tract.
What Are the Possible Complications of Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease?
Melamine toxicity-Induced kidney disease can cause the following complications in a person:
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Fluid Accumulation - Melamine toxicity-Induced kidney disease can cause fluid to accumulate in the lungs, causing shortness of breath.
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Chest Pain - Inflammation of the membrane that covers the heart (pericardium) can cause chest pain.
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Stones - There may be the formation of urolithiasis which is a stone in the urinary system.
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Weakness - An imbalance in the body's water and electrolytes (blood composition) can lead to muscle weakness.
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Permanent Kidney Damage - In some cases, melamine toxicity-Induced kidney disease can result in permanent loss of kidney function or end-stage renal disease. Patients with the renal disease require permanent dialysis (a mechanical filtration process used to remove toxins and waste products from the body) or a kidney transplant to survive.
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Death - Melamine toxicity-Induced kidney disease can lead to loss of kidney function and eventual death.
How Is Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of melamine toxicity-induced kidney disease is listed below:
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Urine Volume Measurement - Measuring urine output over a 24-hour period can help doctors identify the cause of kidney failure.
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Urinalysis - Analysis of a urine sample (urinalysis) may reveal abnormalities that indicate kidney failure.
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Blood Test - Blood tests may show rapidly elevated levels of urea and creatinine - two substances used to measure kidney function.
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Imaging Test - Imaging tests, such as ultrasound and computed tomography, help doctors see the kidneys.
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Kidney Biopsy - A sample of kidney tissue is removed to examine under the microscope.
How Is Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease Treated?
People having melamine toxicity-induced kidney disease should first stop any type of exposure to melamine. Forits treatment, medications may be given to resolve any inflammation of the kidney. Further temporary hemodialysis (often simply called dialysis) may be necessary as toxins build up in the blood. This is to remove toxins and excess water from the body while the kidneys heal. Dialysis also helps remove excess potassium from the body. During dialysis, a machine pumps out blood from the body through an artificial kidney (dialyzer) that filters waste products. The blood is then returned to the body. In the case of a kidney stone, surgical treatment may be necessary.
How to Prevent Melamine Toxicity-Induced Kidney Disease?
The prevention of melamine toxicity-induced kidney disease can be done in the ways listed below:
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Avoid using melamine dishware.
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Avoid contaminated food that could contain melamine.
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Get milk products from a certified manufacturer.
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Avoid heating melamine dishware at high temperatures or using it in the microwave.
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Acidic drinks should not be consumed in melamine dishware.
Conclusion:
Melamine is a nitrogenous organic compound that contains a large amount of nitrogen. It is interpreted as high in protein by various standard tests that measure protein, so it is added to foods to increase their protein content. Illegal addition of melamine is It has been practiced by food manufacturers to cause toxicity and kidney stone formation in individuals who consume melamine-contaminated dairy products. It is also found in dishware. It is associated with a high incidence of melamine toxicity and kidney disease. Especially heating the food in melamine dishes and using acidic food causes the leaching of this compound in melamine. It should be used by following proper safety precautions, and any signs of renal problem should immediately be reported to the medical practitioner.
