Effects of dipyridamole infusion on human renal function observed using technetium-99m-DTPA

Our observation that a prolonged dipyridamole infusion reduced or eliminated blood clearance of Gd-DTPA in dogs led us to investigate if dipyridamole, infused intravenously at rates comparable to those used in thallium myocardial perfusion tests, would alter renal filtration in humans. Renal filtration was assessed using a bolus injection of 10 mCi of 99mTc-DTPA in five males (19-63 yr old) with normal serum urea and creatinine. Twenty minutes following the bolus injection a 10-min intravenous infusion of either dipyridamole (0.14 mg/kg/min) or saline sham was given. Four to 10 min following the start of the dipyridamole infusion, a paradoxical rise in counts in the kidney region of interest was observed and persisted for 10 to 27 min. During this time, a 13% to 52% (mean +/- s.d., 40% +/- 16%, p less than 0.007) reduction in the exponential slope defining the clearance of counts from the cardiac region of interest occurred (implying a reduction of glomerular filtration rate), mean heart rate increased 27 +/- 5 bpm, p less than 0.002 and mean diastolic pressure decreased 12.9 +/- 6.4 mmHg, p less than 0.028. This finding indicates that renal clearance of tracers such as thallium or contrast agents such as Gd-DTPA is reduced during dipyridamole infusion.