Rosuvastatin attenuated contrast-induced nephropathy in diabetes patients with renal dysfunction

The protective effect of statins against CIN is still controversial. We investigated the efficacy of pretreatment of rosuvastatin in decreasing the risk of CIN in a high-risk population of patients undergoing coronary angiography.

We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled study, involving 120 patients with diabetes and mild to moderate renal dysfunction undergoing coronary angioplasty. Patients were randomly assigned to receive rosuvastatin (n = 60, 10 mg/day) or no statins (n = 60) for at least 2 days before and 3 days after contrast media administration. Serum cystatin (SCysC), serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase/urinary creatinine (NAG/UCr) were also observed before and after procedure.

Baseline demographic characteristics and nephropathy risk factors were similar between groups. The NGAL levels after procedure were higher than baseline (P < 0.05). Both the peak NGAL values occurred at 2 hours. In rosuvastatin group the peak NGAL values were lower compared with that in control group [(47.60 ± 18.72) μg/L vs (62.19 ± 44.68) μg/L, P = 0.014]. No differences of the peak values of SCr were found between the two groups. But the peak levels of SCysC in rosuvastatin group were significantly lower compared with that in control group [(0.96 ± 0.30) mg/L vs (1.08 ± 0.34) mg/L, P = 0.043]. There were significant statistical differences of NAG/Cr levels in the two groups. No clinical events occurred within the following 30 days in the two groups.

Rosuvastatin could reduce the effect of degrading glomerular filtration function and renal tubular damage in patients with DM and mild to moderate renal dysfunction.