Creatinine level variation in patients subjected to contrast-enhanced tomography: a meta-analysis

Variation in the creatinine levels of patients who have undergone contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) has been adopted as a practical method for assessment of possible kidney damage caused by the contrast. Criteria employed include an absolute increase in serum creatinine ≥ 0.5 mg/dL or a relative increase ≥ 25% as indicative of possible renal disorders, such as contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Our objective was to analyze the incidence of CIN by means of a meta-analysis of nine articles related to incidence of kidney damage caused by contrast, calculating odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (95%CI) using RStudio. The overall incidence of CIN in patients who had CT scans was 11.29%, with an OR of 1.38 (95%CI 0.88–2.16). Non-ionic contrasts are safer than other types of contrast, and volumes exceeding 115 mL may be associated with CIN. Preexisting kidney disease had a statistically significant relationship with worse CIN rates.