Sodium bicarbonate for the prevention of contrast induced nephropathy: A meta-analysis of published clinical trials
Introduction
Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) is a serious complication following cardiac catheterization procedures which results in increased mortality and morbidity. It is also associated with increased health care costs and length of hospital stay [1], [2], [3]. The incidence of CIN varies from 2% among low risk patients to 50% among high risk patients [2], [4], [5]. Several risk markers such as chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus (type 1 or 2), volume depletion, nephrotoxic drugs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs—NSAIDS, cyclosporine, and aminoglycosides), preprocedural hemodynamic instability and other comorbidities (anaemia, congestive heart failure, and hypoalbuminemia) are associated with the development of CIN [2], [6]. Risk scoring schemes have been developed to predict the risk of CIN [2]. Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) has been postulated to prevent CIN through various mechanisms [7], [8]. However, the outcomes following sodium bicarbonate administration to prevent CIN have been inconsistent [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15].
The goal of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of published randomized clinical trials to determine the effects of NaHCO3 in preventing CIN among patients with chronic renal failure and undergoing cardiac catheterization and interventional procedures.
Section snippets
Methods
A computerized literature search was performed on PubMed using the search terms “contrast nephropathy”, “sodium bicarbonate”, “sodium chloride” and “renal failure”. Randomized clinical trials comparing NaHCO3 versus placebo or sodium chloride (NaCl) during diagnostic and interventional procedures requiring contrast media administration published as of September 2008 were included in this meta-analysis. The trials included in the present meta-analysis consisted of data on CIN and consisted of
Data extraction
Baseline characteristics including age, gender, past medical history (myocardial infarction, diabetes, hypertension, and congestive heart failure), current medical therapy, type of catheterization procedure, contrast volume and outcome measures (contrast induced nephropathy, death, heart failure, and renal replacement therapy) were recorded from all studies where this information was available by two reviewers (WQ and VK).
Results
Seven published randomized clinical trials were identified and were included in this analysis (Table 1). Data were combined across seven clinical trials consisting of 1734 patients.
Discussion
The present meta-analysis based on currently available published randomized clinical trials demonstrates that the administration of sodium bicarbonate is superior to sodium chloride alone in preventing contrast induced nephropathy among patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease undergoing diagnostic and interventional procedures requiring contrast media. However, the beneficial effect of sodium bicarbonate over sodium chloride in preventing the development of CIN was attenuated
Limitations
The enrolment criteria varied across the different trials included in this meta-analysis, and the results observed here may not be applicable to all patients in clinical practice. The number of patients, the inclusion and the exclusion criteria, dose and duration of therapy with sodium bicarbonate varied across the trials. The present study remains subject to the inherent caveats of a meta-analysis including publication bias [47], [48], [49]. Patient level data was not available in this study
Conclusions
The present meta-analysis demonstrates that based on currently available randomized trials, the administration of sodium bicarbonate is superior to the administration of sodium chloride alone in the prevention of contrast induced nephropathy among patients with moderate to severe chronic kidney disease undergoing diagnostic and interventional procedures requiring contrast media. The use of sodium bicarbonate however, did not result in significant benefit in terms of reductions in death,
Conflict of interest
None of the authors have any conflict of interest to disclose.
Acknowledgement
Dr Zaman was supported by a Clinical Research Leave Fellowship from the British Heart Foundation (FS 07/033).
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The Pathogenesis, Outcomes, and Prevention of Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury
2018, Comprehensive Toxicology: Third EditionVitamin C + sodium bicarbonate versus sodium bicarbonate alone in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy
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2016, American Journal of CardiologyCitation Excerpt :Second, their estimate is based on only 5 of 10 trials included in this study.10,13,15,16,18 In another meta-analyses, Kunadian et al19 also found no significant difference between all-cause mortality risk in participants randomized to sodium bicarbonate (9 [2%] of 511) versus sodium chloride (16 [3%] of 514): OR 0.60 (0.26 to 1.41) p = 0.24 (random-effects model). This estimate is subject to the same limitations of the analysis by Jang et al.
Symptomatic renal artery stenosis and infra-renal AAA
2015, European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular SurgeryCurrent concepts of contrast-induced nephropathy: A brief review
2013, Journal of the Chinese Medical AssociationCitation Excerpt :Typically, patients should receive 154 mEq/L of NaHCO3, as a bolus of 3 mL/kg/h for 1 hour prior to CM administration, followed by an infusion of 1 mL/kg per hour for 6 hours after the procedure.77 Recent large meta-analysis studies demonstrated that NaHCO3 had a greater benefit than sodium chloride (NaCl; OR = 0.33–0.57, CI = 0.16–0.85), but no significant difference in the occurrence of death (OR = 0.6, CI = 0.26–1.41, p = 0.24) and requirement for renal replacement therapy (OR = 0.56, CI = 0.22–1.41, p = 0.22).78,79 We suggest hydration with NaHCO3 prior to CM exposure instead of NaCl for prophylaxis of CIN in patients at risk and who are not contraindicated for NaHCO3 infusion.