A Maastricht Contrast-Induced Nephropathy Guidelines Study: CIN Prevention Guidelines: Appropriate & Cost-effective?

Plain-language summary

Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a side-effect of intravascular administration of iodinated contrast material. It is defined as an absolute (\>44μmol/l) or relative (\>25%) increase in serum creatinine from baseline values within 48-72 hours of iodinated contrast material administration, and usually resolves within two weeks. In some cases CIN has been associated with persistent renal failure, increased risk of dialysis, and mortality. It is not clear however, whether CIN is causally related to this increased risk or whether risk of morbidity and mortality is inherent in those at risk of CIN. CIN itself is asymptomatic and no treatment for CIN exists. Therefore, the focus lies on its prevention. Prevention guidelines have been drawn up in most countries and been implemented in most radiological departments. In the Netherlands, currently two guidelines for the prevention of CIN coexist, issued by CBO (Centraal BegeleidingsOrgaan) and VMS (Veiligheids Management Systeem). The prevention guidelines aim to increase patient safety by identifying patients that may be at risk of CIN (mostly patients with chronic renal insufficiency), and subsequently administering prophylactic intravenous hydration to the so identified patients, in order to prevent CIN (intravenous normal saline 4-12 hours before and 4-12 hours after exposure to iodinated contrast material). Needless to say, the introduction of these guidelines has had a great impact on patient- and health care burden. In the Netherlands alone it is estimated that yearly 100.000 to 150.000 patients receive the prophylactic treatment, incurring a total cost of over 50 million Euro. Considering the steady yearly increase of contrast procedures and the ageing population, it is evident that, in future, these numbers shall only increase further. The prophylactic treatment prescribed by the guidelines is based on a consensus of the opinion of experts in general agreement that the treatment is beneficial. However, the effectiveness of prophylactic hydration has never been adequately evaluated. Sufficiently large randomised trials comparing prophylactic intravenous hydration with a proper control group receiving no prophylactic treatment are not available, and baseline CIN incidences in untreated populations are unknown. Thus, it is not clear whether prophylactic hydration achieves its aim to prevent CIN. In order to be able to take effective measures to the benefit of patient safety, it is important to distinguish between the mechanisms underlying CIN and the ensuing increased risk of morbidity and mortality: whether it be biological variation of serum creatinine, renal damage, or cholesterol embolism; whether any causality exists between these and iodinated contrast material; and whether prophylactic intravenous hydration can prevent these from occurring without incurring more risks than it removes. These, in short, are the aims of the AMACING study.

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