Baking soda shines in study at CMC [View All]

Baking soda shines in study at CMC

Doctors say it protects kidneys from effects of dye injected for tests

KAREN GARLOCH

Staff Writer


Baking soda, the white powder that absorbs odors in the refrigerator and helps cakes rise, could save lives and millions of dollars for the U.S. health-care system.

Carolinas Medical Center researchers today announce the successful use of sodium bicarbonate, the equivalent of baking soda, to prevent kidney damage in patients undergoing procedures that involve injecting dye.

By reducing complications, the simple and safe treatment could cut an estimated $50 million in U.S. health-care expenditures and prevent potential deaths, said Dr. Patrick Burgess, a Charlotte kidney specialist who led the research.

This week's Journal of the American Medical Association reports the results of the Charlotte study. The researchers followed 310 patients at high risk of temporary kidney failure from receiving injections of dye during procedures, such as CT scans, cardiac catheterizations and arteriograms.

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