Continuous venovenous hemofiltration after coronary procedures for the prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with severe chronic renal failure.

Continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) is a renal replacement therapy that has been successfully used in patients with severe chronic renal failure to prevent contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). In this study, we present a consecutive experience using a new CVVH protocol that has also been applied to patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). CVVH was performed in consecutive patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 ml/min/1.73 m(2) (mean ± SD, 21.1 ± 7.3 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) undergoing diagnostic or interventional coronary procedures starting after the angiographic procedures. Iopamidol was used as a contrast agent. In the first 6 patients, iopamidol removal by the CVVH hemofilter and kidney was calculated by measuring iopamidol concentrations in the blood, urine, and ultrafiltrate collected during the 6-hour CVVH session. In the second phase, the protocol was applied to 47 additional patients meeting the inclusion criteria. Six-hour CVVH resulted in iopamidol removal comparable with that of 12-hour diuresis (43 ± 12% vs 42 ± 15% of administered, p = NS). CI-AKI occurred in 7.5% of patients in the whole population and no patients had acute pulmonary edema, need for dialysis, or any major bleeding. In conclusion, in a population including patients with ACS with severe chronic renal failure undergoing coronary angiographic procedures, 6-hour CVVH performed only after contrast medium exposure was able to remove an amount of contrast medium similar to that removed by the kidneys in 12 hours and resulted in a low rate of CI-AKI.