Does Exposure to Computed Tomography Contrast Media Increase Risk of End-Stage Renal Disease?

BACKGROUND: There are many studies on acute kidney injury (AKI) after exposure to contrast media in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) increases after exposure to contrast media in the long term, regardless of development of AKI after such exposure, has not been studied. MATERIAL/METHODS: The electronic health records of patients diagnosed with CKD and followed up from 2014 to 2018 at a tertiary university hospital were retrospectively collected. Patients were divided into patients who progressed to ESRD (ESRD group) and those who did not (non-ESRD group). Patients in the non-ESRD group were matched 1: 1 to those in the ESRD group by using disease risk score generation and matching. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the effect of contrast media exposure on progression to ESRD. RESULTS: In total, 179 patients were enrolled per group; 178 (99.4%) were in CKD stage 3 or above in both groups. Average serum creatinine was 4.31±3.02 mg/dl and 3.64±2.55 mg/dl in the ESRD and non-ESRD groups, respectively (p=0.242). Other baseline characteristics were not statistically significant, except for the number of times contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) was performed (0.00 [Interquartile range (IQR) 0.00–2.00] in the ESRD group and 0.00 [IQR 0.00–1.00] in the non-ESRD group [p=0.006]); in multivariate logistic regression, this number (OR=1.24, 95% CI=1.08–1.47, p=0.006) was significantly related to progression to ESRD. CONCLUSIONS: The use of CECT increased the risk of ESRD 1.2-fold in advanced and stable CKD outpatients after 5-year follow-up.