Symptoms and Lab Tests of Melamine Toxicity
Melamine causes kidney stone formation and kidney failure when taken orally in adulterated food.
Symptoms of melamine toxicity:
- Irritability
- Pain during urination
- Difficulty in urination
- Renal colic
- Blood in urine
- Passage of stone in urine
- High blood pressure
- Generalized swelling
- Decrease in urination
- Death may also occur in severely affected cases
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Laboratory Test
- Urine examination may show the presence of blood with or without protein in the urine
- Biochemical tests detects the presence of melamine in the urine. Urine also contains fan-shaped crystals
- Examination of the stones shows the presence of melamine and uric acid
- Ultrasonography detects the presence of stones in the urinary system. Melamine stones are multiple and affect both the kidneys. They are soft, usually small in size and are often passed in the urine
- Kidney failure may show raised lab values such as Creatinine, Urea, potassium and decrease in bicarbonate and hemoglobin levels
