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Kidney
Damage caused by Iodinated Contrast Material
thought to be overestimated
Newswise — The use of iodinated contrast
material may be less damaging to the kidneys
than previously recorded, according to a
recent study conducted by researchers at
Columbia University Medical Center in New
York, NY.
“We reviewed patient records to determine
the frequency and magnitude of serum
creatinine changes in patients who had not
received iodinated contrast material.
"We
then compared that to previously published
articles which found a relationship between
contrast media, serum creatinine levels and
nephropathy (kidney damage).
“We found that the creatinine level
increases just as often in those who do not
receive contrast material as in those who
do,” said Jeffrey Newhouse, MD, lead author
of the study.
According to the study, among the 32,161
patients who had not received contrast
material, more than half showed a change of
at least 25%, and more than 2/5 showed a
change of at least 0.4 milligrams per
deciliter.
“These
changes occurred in patients with both
normal and abnormal initial creatinine
values and were undoubtedly caused by the
entire range of conditions, treatments, and
laboratory variations that may alter
creatinine levels,” said Dr. Newhouse.
“These
changes were not different from those seen
in previously published studies in which the
patients received contrast media.”
“Because serum creatinine levels change
frequently in the absence of iodinated
contrast media material, prior studies of
the relationship between iodinated contrast
material and renal function must be
interpreted with caution, and future
experiments should have appropriate
controls,” Dr. Newhouse said.
“We don’t claim that IV contrast material
never induces nephropathy, but it may do so
less frequently and severely than previously
thought. If subsequent experimentation
proves its safety, it could be used more
frequently in patients with renal failure,”
he said.
This study will appear in the August issue
of the American Journal of Roentgenology.
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