IV tubing contributes to preemie liver problems

IV tubing contributes to preemie liver problems

In a newsletter about 6 months ago I reported on the research indicated that phthalates in plastics were associated with reproductive abnormalities – particularly sterility in men. Recently a new study has come to light showing that phthalates are now associated with liver problems, particularly in preemie babies whose only source of phthalates are from the IV tubing.

In Germany a study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, involving 30 premature infants treated in an intensive care unit before the hospital switched to feeding equipment without phthalates, were compared to 46 premature infants treated after the switch.

Serious liver problems involving reduced flow of bile developed in 50% of the infants fed with the tubes containing phthalates versus just 13% of those preemies without phthalate exposure. The researchers took into account other factors that might contribute to liver problems and the two groups were mostly similar.

Dr Deborah Cory-Slechta, an environmental medicine professor at the University of Rochester medical school stated, “this is pretty strong damnation of phthalates. It needs to be replicated. But I still think this makes a very strong case for getting rid of these compounds in infant intensive care units.”

Steve Risotto of the American Chemistry council, which represents chemical makers, offered a direct and short rebuttal stating, “[this study] doesn’t show any direct cause and effect,’ but offered no reasonable scientific explanation as to why.

I guess he didn’t know that in 2002 a phthalate advisory board from the FDA recommended alternatives for patients most at risk from the chemical leeching out of plastic medical equipment, including sick infant boys because of possible damage to developing reproductive organisms. You know if the FDA announced something like that, there has got to be some pretty strong scientific evidence.

So do our local hospitals contain phthalate free intensive care units?  It’s still a mystery as I have yet had corporate headquarters of Intermountain Medical call me back, but I know Jordan Valley and St. Marks Hospital do not employ phthalate free IV tubing. Once I hear back from Intermountain you’ll be the first to know.

References:

Journal of Pediatrics August 2009