Contrast-induced acute kidney injury after computed tomography prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation

To identify independent predictors of contrast medium-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) after enhanced multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in high-risk patients.

The present single-centre study analysed retrospectively 361 patients who were assessed using MDCT prior to TAVI. CI-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine (SCr) of ≥ 25% or ≥ 0.5 mg/dl in at least one sample over baseline (24 h before MDCT) and at 24, 48, and 72 h after MDCT.

A total of 38 patients (10.5%) experienced CI-AKI. As compared to patients without CI-AKI, they presented more frequently with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2), (81.6% versus 64.4%, p = 0.045) and tended to receive higher volumes of iodinated contrast media (ICM; 55.3% versus 39%, p = 0.057). There was a significant interaction between baseline eGFR and the amount of intravenous ICM administered (pfor interaction = <0.001) identifying the amount of ICM >90 ml as independent predictive factor of CI-AKI only in patients with baseline eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73m(2) (OR 2.615; 95% CI: 1.21-5.64).

One in ten elderly patients with aortic stenosis undergoing MDCT to plan a TAVI procedure experienced CI-AKI after intravenous ICM injection. Intravenous administration of <90 ml of ICM reduces this risk in patients with or without pre-existing impaired renal function. However, in the majority of patients renal function recovers before the TAVI procedure.