Renal Function After Administration of Contrast Media: New Study Launched

Clarifying a debated issue in clinical practice 

Thousands of patients are injected with contrast media every day, particularly in the fields of radiology and internal medicine. It has long been debated whether, and if so to what extent, there is a link between the contrast medium administered and subsequent kidney damage. The recently launched multi-center “PeriPrevent” study will now investigate the short- and long-term effects on renal function. 

“PeriPrevent” subjects are mostly elderly people with circulatory problems in their legs, who are already at increased risk of renal failure. “Instead of the usual iodinated contrast medium, we can use carbon dioxide (CO₂) for catheter examinations of the blood vessels in the legs because, unlike standard contrast media, it has no effect on renal function,” explains principal investigator Prof. Sabine Steiner, Professor of Applied Vascular Research at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Leipzig and at the Helmholtz Institute for Metabolic, Obesity and Vascular Research (HI-MAG) at Helmholtz Munich, as well as senior physician at the Department of Angiology at the University of Leipzig Medical Center. “This direct comparative study will allow us to investigate whether, and to what extent, deterioration in renal function after administration of an iodinated contrast agent can be prevented by using a renal-sparing alternative (CO₂). The main question is whether renal complications can be reduced 90 days after the procedure and whether there is an effect on long-term outcomes and mortality at one year.”

Almost 2,000 patients are expected to be examined in twelve hospitals over a period of five years. The research project is being funded by the German Research Foundation in the area of interventional trials and will receive 2.2 million euros for the first three-year funding period. The Clinical Trial Centre (ZKS) at Leipzig University’s Faculty of Medicine is coordinating the project.

_{News adapted from the university of Leipzig.}