７０代が３人、９０代も　紅麹問題の死者５人―腎臓学会など

　小林製薬の「紅麹（べにこうじ）」配合サプリメントを摂取した人から健康被害の訴えが相次いでいる問題で、厚生労働省と日本腎臓学会は９日、これまでに判明している死者５人の内訳を公表した。年齢は７０代が３人、９０代と不明が１人ずつで、男性２人と女性３人。５人のうち３人は前立腺がんや悪性リンパ腫、高血圧などの既往症があったという。
　同学会の会員医師を対象に３月２７日から行っているアンケート調査で、今月４日までに報告された９５人の被害状況も発表。男性２９人、女性６６人で、５０代が４３人だった。
　大半の患者で、腎臓にある多数の「尿細管」が傷つき、カリウムやリンなど身体に必要な成分が再吸収されない「ファンコニー症候群」に特有の症状が見られた。必要成分が尿中に過剰排出されると、筋力低下や脱水症状、骨軟化症を起こすこともある。先天性と後天性があり、後者の場合は薬剤が原因の一つに考えられるとしている。（2024/04/09-18:55）

Three people in their 70s are among the five people reported dead after taking a Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. supplement product containing "beni koji" red fermented rice, it was learned Tuesday.
   According to a breakdown released by the health ministry and the Japanese Society of Nephrology, one of the other two patients is aged between 90 and 99, while the other's age is unknown. The five comprised two men and three women, and three had pre-existing conditions such as prostate cancer, malignant lymphoma and high blood pressure.
   The society also released details of 95 people reported by Thursday to be suffering from health problems over Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. supplement products in a questionnaire survey sent to member doctors from March 27. There were 29 men and 66 women, and 43 were in their 50s.
   The products contained beni koji, an ingredient created by fermenting rice with Monascus purpureus, a species of mold.
   Most of the patients had symptoms characteristic of Fanconi syndrome, in which many renal tubules are damaged and vital minerals such as potassium and phosphorus cannot be reabsorbed. Excessive excretion of such minerals in urine can cause muscle weakness, dehydration, and osteomalacia.