Objectives: To study the incidence of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI), evaluate its risk factors, study the role of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and evaluate the outcome of CI-AKI in critically ill children.
Methods: In this prospective cohort study, children aged 1 mo to 12 y who underwent contrast computed tomography (CECT) for various medical indications were included. Patients without renal function test before contrast administration, children with chronic kidney disease, children admitted for less than 48 h, and those with serum bilirubin more than 5 mg per dL were excluded. Serum creatinine and estimated-Glomerular filtration rate (e-GFR) were measured at admission, immediately before, and at 6, 24, 48 h after contrast. Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) was measured before and 6 h after contrast. The incidence of CI-AKI by p-RIFLE (Pediatric Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End Stage Renal Disease) criteria, its risk factors, the diagnostic role of NGAL in CI-AKI, and outcomes [30 d unfavorable outcome (death, readmission) and renal recovery] were studied.
Results: One hundred children were enrolled. The indications for CECT were brain (58%) and respiratory pathology (20%). Incidence of CI-AKI was 35% (95% CI 26.4% to 44.8%); 71% in 'Risk,' and 29% in the 'Injury' stage. After multivariate logistic regression, age younger than 2 y was independently associated with CI-AKI. There was no significant difference in NGAL before (ROC-AUC 0.38, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.50) and 6 h after CECT scan (AUC 0.41, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.54) to predict CI-AKI. There were 7% deaths but no readmission at 30 d. Among 33 CI-AKI patients who survived, the operational definition of renal recovery was achieved in 51.5% (n = 17), complete renal recovery was achieved in 97% (n = 32), and partial renal recovery was achieved in 3% (n = 1) of patients at discharge, while none received renal supportive therapy.
Conclusions: The incidence of contrast-induced acute kidney injury was 35% with age younger than two year being independently associated with CI-AKI. NGAL did not predict the CI-AKI.
Keywords: Children; Computed tomography; Contrast-media; Kidney injury; Morbidity; Plasma NGAL.