Effect of statins on post-contrast acute kidney injury: a multicenter retrospective observational study

Blood-urea-nitrogen-to-serum-albumin ratio in predicting the value of patients with contrast-induced nephropathy for coronary heart disease

BACKGROUND

The blood-urea-nitrogen (BUN)-to-serum-albumin (ALB) ratio (BAR) has been identified as a novel indicator of both inflammatory and nutritional status, exhibiting a correlation with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. This study aims to investigate the potential predictive value of BAR levels at admission for the development of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

Retrospective data were collected from patients who were admitted and underwent CAG or PCI between January 2018 and December 2022 at the Cardiac Medical Center of Union Hospital of Fujian Medical University, and the patients were divided into CIN and non-CIN groups. The BAR was computed by dividing the BUN count by the ALB count. Using multiple variable logistic regression, risk variables associated with the development of CIN were found.

RESULTS

A total of 156 patients developed CIN (7.78%). The development of CIN was predicted by a BAR ratio > 4.340 with a sensitivity of 84.0% and a specificity of 70.2%, according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. BAR, female gender, diuretic use, and statin medication use were found to be independent predictors of CIN using multifactorial analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

When patients are receiving CAG/PCI, BAR is a simple-to-use marker that can be used independently to predict the presence of CIN.

Association of red blood cell distribution width and hemoglobin-to-RDW ratio with contrast-associated acute kidney injury in patients undergoing coronary angiography: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Inflammation contributes to poor prognosis in cardiovascular diseases. A novel biomarker for systemic inflammation that has garnered attention is the red blood cell distribution width (RDW). This study is designed to explore potential associations between RDW and hemoglobin-to-RDW ratio (HRR) with contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI).

METHODS

This study retrospectively analyzed 4054 patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG). Linear regression models were employed to assess the relationships between RDW or HRR and the elevation of serum creatinine (Scr). The associations between RDW or HRR and CA-AKI were explored using restricted cubic spline and log-binomial regression analyses taking into account specific cutoff values and quintiles. Exploratory analyses were also conducted to further investigate these associations.

RESULTS

Among enrolled patients, the average age was 66.9 years and 34.3% were female. Notably, patients who developed CA-AKI tended to have higher RDW and lower HRR. Multivariable linear regression models demonstrated that RDW exhibited a positive association with Scr elevation (β = 2.496, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.784-3.208), while HRR displayed a negative association (β = -3.559, 95% CI = -4.243 to -2.875). Multivariable log-binomial regression models confirmed that both high RDW (RDW ≥ 13.8%) and low HRR (HRR < 8.9) were significantly associated with a higher risk of CA-AKI (RDW [≥13.8% vs. <13.8%]: relative risk [RR] = 1.540, 95% CI = 1.345-1.762; HRR [<8.9 vs. ≥8.9]: RR = 1.822, 95% CI = 1.584-2.096). Exploratory analysis determined that such associations still existed regardless of age, gender, estimated glomerular filtration rate, or anemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Elevated preoperative RDW and decreased HRR were significantly associated with CA-AKI in patients undergoing CAG.

The association between nutritional risk and contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing coronary angiography: a cross-sectional study

Background

Nutritional risk is prevalent in various diseases, but its association with contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore this association in patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG).

Methods

In this retrospective cross-sectional study, 4386 patients undergoing CAG were enrolled. Nutritional risks were estimated by nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS-2002), controlling nutritional status (CONUT), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI), respectively. CI-AKI was determined by the elevation of serum creatinine (Scr). Multivariable logistic regression analyses and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted. Subgroup analyses were performed according to age (< 70/≥70 years), gender (male/female), percutaneous coronary intervention (with/without), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (< 60/≥60 ml/min/1.73m2).

Results

Overall, 787 (17.9%) patients were diagnosed with CI-AKI. The median score of NRS-2002, CONUT, PNI, and GNRI was 1.0, 3.0, 45.8, and 98.6, respectively. Nutritional risk was proven to be associated with CI-AKI when four different nutritional tools were employed, including NRS-2002 ([3–7 vs. 0]: odds ratio [95% confidence interval], OR [95%CI] = 4.026 [2.732 to 5.932], P < 0.001), CONUT ([6–12 vs. 0–1]: OR [95%CI] = 2.230 [1.586 to 3.136], P < 0.001), PNI ([< 38 vs. ≥52]: OR [95%CI] = 2.349 [1.529 to 3.610], P < 0.001), and GNRI ([< 90 vs. ≥104]: OR [95%CI] = 1.822 [1.229 to 2.702], P = 0.003). This is consistent when subgroup analyses were performed. Furthermore, nutritional scores were proved to be accurate in predicting CI-AKI (area under ROC curve: NRS-2002, 0.625; CONUT, 0.609; PNI, 0.629; and GNRI, 0.603).

Conclusions

Nutritional risks (high scores of NRS-2002 and CONUT; low scores of PNI and GNRI) were associated with CI-AKI in patients undergoing CAG.

Association of Hemoglobin Glycation Index With Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography: A Retrospective Study

Background: The hemoglobin glycation index (HGI) quantifies interindividual variation in glycation and is positively associated with cardiovascular diseases. However, the association between HGI and contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the association of HGI with CI-AKI.

Methods: In this observational study, a total of 3,142 patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included. The HGI was calculated as the difference between the measured glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and predicted HbA1c. CI-AKI was defined as an increase of either 25% or 0.5 mg/dl (44.2 μmol/L) in the serum creatinine (SCr) level within 72 h following the exposure to contrast medium. Piecewise linear regression analysis was conducted to testify the association of HGI with the proportion of SCr elevation. Modified Poisson’s regression analysis was performed to determine the association between HGI and CI-AKI. Exploratory analysis was also performed according to the stratification of HbA1c levels.

Results: Among 3,142 patients, the average age was 66.9 years and 483 of them (15.4%) suffered CI-AKI. Piecewise linear regression analysis demonstrated the linear association of HGI with the proportion of SCr elevation on both positive and negative sides of HGI [HGI <0: β = −9.537, 95% CI (−12.057 to −7.017), p < 0.001; HGI ≥0: β = 1.655, 95% CI (0.125 to 3.186), p = 0.034]. Modified Poisson’s regression analysis showed that the higher absolute value of HGI was strongly associated with higher incidence of CI-AKI [(<−1.0 vs. −0.2 to 0.2): aRR = 1.897, 95% CI [1.467 to 2.452], p < 0.001 (≥1.0 vs. −0.2 to 0.2): aRR = 1.545, 95% CI (1.171 to 2.037), p = 0.002]. Furthermore, the results in exploratory analysis showed that such association still remained irrespective of HbA1c levels.

Conclusion: The higher absolute value of HGI was strongly associated with higher incidence of CI-AKI in patients undergoing CAG and PCI.

Rosuvastatin Induces Renal HO-1 Activity and Expression Levels as a Main Protective Mechanism against STZ-Induced Diabetic Nephropathy

Background and Objectives: Nephroprotective effect of statins is still controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible hemin-like nephroprotective effect of rosuvastatin (RSV) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Materials and Methods: DN was induced in rats via a single dose of 50 mg/kg STZ i.p., with or without RSV (10 mg/kg orally) for 30 days. To investigate hemin-like effect of RSV on renal heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), RSV was administered in the presence or absence of an inhibitor of HO-1; zinc protoporphyrin-XI (ZnPP), in a dose of 50 µmol/kg i.p. Results: Induction of diabetes with STZ caused, as expected, significant hyperglycemia, as well as deteriorated kidney function, lipid profile and histopathological architecture. The DN group also showed renal oxidative stress, indicated by decreased superoxide dismutase, catalase, and reduced glutathione, with increased malondialdehyde, myeloperoxidase and nitric oxide. Renal expression of inflammatory marker TNF-α, and pro-apoptotic marker caspase 3, were also increased in the DN group. Administration of RSV in DN rats did not improve glucose level but succeeded in recovering kidney function and normal structure as well as improving the lipid profile. RSV also improved renal oxidative, inflammatory, and apoptotic statuses. Interestingly, the administration of RSV increased renal expression and activity of HO-1 compared to the untreated DN group. Co-administration of ZnPP blocked the effect of RSV on HO-1 and deteriorated all RSV favorable effects. Conclusions: RSV can protect against DN, at least in part, via increasing renal HO-1 expression and/or activity, which seems to be upstream to RSV antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic effects.

An Online Pre-procedural Nomogram for the Prediction of Contrast-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography

Background

Identifying high-risk patients for contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) helps to take early preventive interventions. The current study aimed to establish and validate an online pre-procedural nomogram for CA-AKI in patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG).

Methods

In this retrospective dataset, 4,295 patients undergoing CAG were enrolled and randomized into the training or testing dataset with a split ratio of 8:2. Optimal predictors for CA-AKI were determined by Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and Random Forest (RF) algorithm. Nomogram was developed and deployed online. The discrimination and accuracy of the nomogram were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration analysis, respectively. Clinical usefulness was estimated by decision curve analysis (DCA) and clinical impact curve (CIC).

Results

A total of 755 patients (17.1%) was diagnosed with CA-AKI. 7 pre-procedural predictors were identified and integrated into the nomogram, including age, gender, hemoglobin, N-terminal of the prohormone brain natriuretic peptide, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, cardiac troponin I, and loop diuretics use. The ROC analyses showed that the nomogram had a good discrimination performance for CA-AKI in the training dataset (area under the curve, AUC = 0.766, 95%CI [0.737 to 0.794]) and testing dataset (AUC = 0.737, 95%CI [0.693 to 0.780]). The nomogram was also well-calibrated in both the training dataset (P = 0.965) and the testing dataset (P = 0.789). Good clinical usefulness was identified by DCA and CIC. Finally, this model was deployed in a web server for public use (https://duanbin-li.shinyapps.io/DynNomapp/).

Conclusion

An easy-to-use pre-procedural nomogram for predicting CA-AKI was established and validated in patients undergoing CAG, which was also deployed online.