Venous mapping using venography and the risk of radiocontrast-induced nephropathy

Venous mapping using venography has been considered to be the gold standard for identifying veins suitable for arteriovenous fistula (AVF) creation. By utilizing a radiocontrast medium, however, venography introduces the risk of radiocontrast-induced nephropathy. The risk of this complication in the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population has not been previously studied. Twenty-five consecutive patients (CKD stage 4 and 5) undergoing venography were enrolled in this study. Patients were advised not to fast for the procedure and were encouraged to take oral fluids. Radiocontrast-induced nephropathy was defined as a 20% decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from the baseline value at 48 hours after contrast administration. Weekly telephone calls were made for a total of 4 weeks to assess the need for dialysis. Venography was performed by interventional nephrology using 10-20 cc of low osmolarity contrast medium. Data were collected prospectively. Median age was 48.9 +/- 7.8 years and 52% of the patients had diabetes. Complete sets of pre- and postprocedure GFRs were available in 21 patients. At 48 hours, there were no differences between the pre- and postprocedure GFRs. At the third week, one patient developed flu-like symptoms with severe gastroenteritis and was hospitalized for volume depletion. This patient initiated dialysis during the hospital stay. We conclude that at 48 hours, our cohort did not develop radiocontrast-induced nephropathy. During the 4-week phone call follow-up, only one patient needed dialysis. Large-scale studies with a longer follow-up using GFR estimation are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.