Safe limits of contrast vary with hydration volume for prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy after coronary angiography among patients with a relatively low risk of contrast-induced nephropathy.

Background: Few studies have investigated the safe limits of contrast to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) based on hydration data. We aimed to investigate the relative safe maximum contrast volume adjusted for hydration volume in a population with a relatively low risk of CIN.

Methods And Results: The ratios of contrast volume-to-creatinine clearance (V/CrCl) and hydration volume to body weight (HV/W) were determined in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis based on the maximum Youden index was used to identify the optimal cutoff for V/CrCl in all patients and in HV/W subgroups. Eighty-six of 3273 (2.6%) patients with mean CrCl 71.89±27.02 mL/min developed CIN. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis indicated that a V/CrCl ratio of 2.44 was a fair discriminator for CIN in all patients (sensitivity, 73.3%; specificity, 70.4%). After adjustment for other confounders, V/CrCl >2.44 continued to be significantly associated with CIN (adjusted odds ratio, 4.12; P<0.001) and the risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.62; P<0.001). The mean HV/W was 12.18±7.40. We divided the patients into 2 groups (HV/W ≤12 and >12 mL/kg). The best cutoff value for V/CrCl was 1.87 (sensitivity, 67.9%; specificity, 64.4%; adjusted odds ratio, 3.24; P=0.011) in the insufficient hydration subgroup (HV/W, ≤12 mL/kg; CIN, 1.32%) and 2.93 (sensitivity, 69.0%; specificity, 65.0%; adjusted odds ratio, 3.04; P=0.004) in the sufficient hydration subgroup (HV/W, >12 mL/kg; CIN, 5.00%).

Conclusions: The V/CrCl ratio adjusted for HV/W may be a more reliable predictor of CIN and even long-term outcomes after cardiac catheterization. We also found a higher best cutoff value for V/CrCl to predict CIN in patients with a relatively sufficient hydration status, which may be beneficial during decision-making about contrast dose limits in relatively low-risk patients with different hydration statuses.