Repeated Dose of Contrast Media and the Risk of Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in a Broad Population of Patients Hospitalized in Cardiology Department

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) can lead to the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and impaired in-hospital and long-term outcomes among cardiac patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of repeated contrast media (CM) administration during a single hospitalization on the rate of CI-AKI. The study group (n = 138) comprised patients with different diagnoses who received CM more than once during hospitalization, while the control group (n = 153) involved CAD patients subject to a single CM dose. Following propensity score matching (PSM), both groups of n = 84 were evenly matched in terms of major baseline variables. CI-AKI was defined by an absolute increase in SCr ≥ 0.3 mg/dL or >50% relative to the baseline value within 48–72 h from the last CM dose. Patients in the study group were older, had a higher prevalence of diabetes and CKD, received a higher total volume of CM, had a lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lower prevalence of multivessel coronary artery disease (MV-CAD), and a trend towards a lower prevalence of arterial hypertension and smoking. SCr did not differ between the study and control groups at 72 h after the CM use. CI-AKI occurred in 18 patients in the study (13.0%) and in 18 patients (11.8%) in the control group (p = 0.741). The rate of CI-AKI was also comparable following the PSM (13.1% vs. 13.1%, p = 1.0). Logistic regression analysis revealed that CKD, diabetes mellitus, MV-CAD, age, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use, but not repeated CM use, were independent predictors of CI-AKI.