Skip to main content
Log in

Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury: The At-Risk Patient and Protective Measures

  • Published:
Current Cardiology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a major complication following radiocontrast procedures. In this review, we characterize the recent literature on CI-AKI, risk factors, prevention, biomarkers, and new technologies. The premise of CI-AKI prophylaxis should focus on implementing mandatory standing orders before and after cardiac catheterization for hydration with normal saline or sodium bicarbonate and use of high-dose (1200-mg) N-acetylcysteine. Contrast agents may play a role in preventing CI-AKI. Implement catheter-laboratory technology and awareness to limit the amount of contrast dye used for any patient.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance

  1. DeFrances CJ, Hall MJ: 2005 National Hospital Discharge Survey. Adv Data 2007, (385):1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  2. National Center for Health Statistics: Health, United States, 2009: With Special Feature on Medical Technology. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bagshaw SM, Ghali WA: Acetylcysteine for prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy after intravascular angiography: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Med 2004, 2:38.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Tumlin J, Stacul F, Adam A, et al.: Pathophysiology of contrast-induced nephropathy. Am J Cardiol 2006, 98:14K–20K.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. • Romano G, Briguori C, Quintavalle C, et al.: Contrast agents and renal cell apoptosis. Eur Heart J 2008, 29:2569–2576. This paper demonstrates the association between contrast dye and renal cell death.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. • Brown JR, Malenka DJ, DeVries JT, et al.: Transient and persistent renal dysfunction are predictors of survival after percutaneous coronary intervention: insights from the Dartmouth Dynamic Registry. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2008, 72:347–354. This paper demonstrates the poor survival associated with both transient and persistent CI-AKI.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Taliercio CP, Vlietstra RE, Fisher LD, Burnett JC: Risks for renal dysfunction with cardiac angiography. Ann Intern Med 1986, 104:501–504.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Mehran R, Aymong ED, Nikolsky E, et al.: A simple risk score for prediction of contrast-induced nephropathy after percutaneous coronary intervention: development and initial validation. J Am Coll Cardiol 2004, 44:1393–1399.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. • Brown JR, DeVries JT, Piper WD, et al.: Serious renal dysfunction after percutaneous coronary interventions can be predicted. Am Heart J 2008, 155:260–266. This is a paper for predicting CI-AKI prior to PCI.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. • Stolker JM, McCullough PA, Rao S, et al.: Pre-procedural glucose levels and the risk for contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing coronary angiography. J Am Coll Cardiol 2010, 55:1433–1440. This paper suggests baseline hyperglycemia is a risk factor for CI-AKI.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. • Brown JR, Block CA, Malenka DJ, et al.: Sodium bicarbonate plus N-acetylcysteine prophylaxis: a meta-analysis. JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2009, 2:1116–1124. This is a meta-analysis for the combination therapy of sodium bicarbonate plus N-acetylcysteine.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. • Zoungas S, Ninomiya T, Huxley R, et al.: Systematic review: sodium bicarbonate treatment regimens for the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy. Ann Intern Med 2009, 151:631–638. This paper and the papers by Meier et al. [13] and Kanbay et al. [14] are recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of sodium bicarbonate and CI-AKI.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Meier P, Ko DT, Tamura A, et al.: Sodium bicarbonate-based hydration prevents contrast-induced nephropathy: a meta-analysis. BMC Med 2009, 7:23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Kanbay M, Covic A, Coca SG, et al.: Sodium bicarbonate for the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy: a meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials. Int Urol Nephrol 2009, 41:617–627.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Chertow GM, Burdick E, Honour M, et al.: Acute kidney injury, mortality, length of stay, and costs in hospitalized patients. J Am Soc Nephrol 2005, 16:3365–3370.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Tamura A, Goto Y, Miyamoto K, et al.: Efficacy of single-bolus administration of sodium bicarbonate to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with mild renal insufficiency undergoing an elective coronary procedure. Am J Cardiol 2009, 104:921–925.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. • Meier PP, Gurm HS: Is simpler also better? Brief sodium bicarbonate infusion to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy. Am J Cardiol 2010, 105:1042–1043. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of a short infusion protocol for sodium bicarbonate that might be useful for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Trivedi H, Daram S, Szabo A, et al.: High-dose N-acetylcysteine for the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy. Am J Med 2009, 122:874e9–874e15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Marenzi G, Assanelli E, Marana I, et al.: N-acetylcysteine and contrast-induced nephropathy in primary angioplasty. N Engl J Med 2006, 354:2773–2782.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Baskurt M, Okcun B, Abaci O, et al.: N-acetylcysteine versus N-acetylcysteine+theophylline for the prevention of contrast nephropathy. Eur J Clin Invest 2009, 39:793–799.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Malhis M, Al-Bitar S, Al-Deen Zaiat K: The role of theophylline in prevention of radiocontrast media-induced nephropathy. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl 2010, 21:276–283.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Cigarroa RG, Lange RA, Williams RH, Hillis LD: Dosing of contrast material to prevent contrast nephropathy in patients with renal disease. Am J Med 1989, 86:649–652.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. • Marenzi G, Assanelli E, Campodonico J, et al.: Contrast volume during primary percutaneous coronary intervention and subsequent contrast-induced nephropathy and mortality. Ann Intern Med 2009, 150:170–177. This paper evaluates the role of contrast volume and CI-AKI.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. • Brown JR, Robb JF, Block CA, Schoolwerth AC, Kaplan AV, O’Connor GT, Solomon RJ, Malenka DJ: Does “safe” dosing of iodinated contrast prevent contrast-induced acute kidney injury? Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2010, 3:1–5.

    Google Scholar 

  25. • Reed M, Meier P, Tamhane UU, et al.: The relative renal safety of iodixanol compared with low-osmolar contrast media: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2009, 2:645–654. This study is a systematic review of the clinical utility of iodixanol (iso-osmolar contrast agent) compared with low-osmolar agents.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Wessely R, Koppara T, Bradaric C, et al.: Choice of contrast medium in patients with impaired renal function undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Circ Cardiovasc Interv 2009, 2:430–437.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Alexopoulos E, Spargias K, Kyrzopoulos S, et al.: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients with renal dysfunction undergoing a coronary procedure and receiving non-ionic low-osmolar versus iso-osmolar contrast media. Am J Med Sci 2010, 339:25–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Laskey W, Aspelin P, Davidson C, et al.: Nephrotoxicity of iodixanol versus iopamidol in patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus undergoing coronary angiographic procedures. Am Heart J 2009, 158:822–828.e3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Solomon R: Nephrotoxicity of iodixanol versus iopamidol in patients with chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus undergoing coronary angiographic procedures. Am Heart J 2010, 159:7; author reply e9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Hernandez F, Mora L, Garcia-Tejada J, et al.: Comparison of iodixanol and ioversol for the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy in diabetic patients after coronary angiography or angioplasty. Rev Esp Cardiol 2009, 62:1373–1380.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Bolognese L, Falsini G, Grotti S, et al.: The contrast media and nephrotoxicity following coronary revascularization by primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction study: design and rationale of the CONTRAST-AMI study. J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown) 2010, 11:199–206.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Maioli M, Toso A, Leoncini M, et al.: Sodium bicarbonate versus saline for the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with renal dysfunction undergoing coronary angiography or intervention. J Am Coll Cardiol 2008, 52:599–604.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Xinwei J, Xianghua F, Jing Z, et al.: Comparison of usefulness of simvastatin 20mg versus 80mg in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Am J Cardiol 2009, 104:519–524.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. • Weisz G, Filby SJ, Cohen MG, et al.: Safety and performance of targeted renal therapy: the Be-RITe! Registry. J Endovasc Ther 2009, 16:1–12. This paper demonstrates the use of the Benephit System Renal Infusion Therapy (Be-RITe!).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Chen HH, Cataliotti A, Schirger JA, et al.: Local renal delivery of a natriuretic peptide a renal-enhancing strategy for B-type natriuretic peptide in overt experimental heart failure. J Am Coll Cardiol 2009, 53:1302–1308.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Teirstein PS, Price MJ, Mathur VS, et al.: Differential effects between intravenous and targeted renal delivery of fenoldopam on renal function and blood pressure in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Am J Cardiol 2006, 97:1076–1081.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Grube E, Baim D, Burkhoff D, et al.: Local intra-renal fenoldopam infusion causes greater increases in renal artery flow velocity than systemic intravenous fenoldopam infusion: a pilot study. EuroIntervention 2005, 1:305–308.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. • Smith EJ, Reitan O, Keeble T, et al.: A first-in-man study of the Reitan catheter pump for circulatory support in patients undergoing high-risk percutaneous coronary intervention. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2009, 73:859–865. This paper demonstrates the use of the Reitan catheter pump.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. • Haase M, Bellomo R, Devarajan P, et al.: Accuracy of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in diagnosis and prognosis in acute kidney injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Kidney Dis 2009, 54:1012–1024. This paper systematically reviews the evidence for supporting NGAL as an early biomarker for AKI.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

Dr. Jeremiah R. Brown is supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, grant number K01 HS018443. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Disclosures

Dr. Craig A. Thompson is a consultant for Bridgepoint Medical and Abbott Vascular.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Craig A. Thompson.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brown, J.R., Thompson, C.A. Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury: The At-Risk Patient and Protective Measures. Curr Cardiol Rep 12, 440–445 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-010-0129-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11886-010-0129-2

Keywords

Navigation