Incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with chronic renal insufficiency undergoing multidetector computed tomographic angiography treated with preventive measures.

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is associated with adverse outcomes. Strategies for its prevention have been evaluated for patients undergoing invasive coronary and peripheral angiography, including treatment with N-acetylcysteine, sodium bicarbonate, and use of iso-osmolar nonionic contrast. Recently, multidetector computed tomographic angiography (MDCTA) of the coronary and peripheral arteries has been introduced as an accurate method for assessing vascular stenosis and has been widely adopted for assessment of outpatients with suspected coronary artery disease or peripheral arterial disease. To date, the incidence of CIN in outpatients with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) treated with CIN-preventive strategies undergoing MDCTA remains unknown. Thus, we evaluated the incidence of CIN in outpatients with CRI (creatinine 1.5 to 2.5 mg/dl) undergoing MDCTA using CIN-preventive measures; 400 patients with CRI (78.5% men, mean age 76 years, 41% with diabetes) underwent MDCTA with iodixanol for detection of coronary artery disease or peripheral arterial disease (mean contrast volume 101 cc). CIN was defined as a nonallergic creatinine increase of >0.5 mg/dl. Creatinine levels were obtained before and 3 to 5 days after MDCTA; the average creatinine levels were 1.80 mg/dl and 1.75 mg/dl, respectively (p = NS), with an average change of -0.03 mg/dl. In the study cohort, only 7 patients (1.75%) experienced a creatinine increase >0.5 mg/dl, satisfying the definition of CIN. In conclusion, multivariate analysis, diabetes was the only predictor for CIN (odds ratio 5.9, 95% confidence interval 1.0 to 33.3, p = 0.045). No patient required hemodialysis. In conclusion, in patients with CRI undergoing MDCTA and receiving CIN-preventive measures, the incidence of CIN is low.