AimsTo investigate the association between growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) and contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).MethodsA total of 311 patients with AMI were studied retrospectively. All patients were divided into two groups according to the occurrence of CIN after PCI. Baseline clinical data were compared between two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for CIN. Cox regression analysis was used to identify the association between GDF-15, CIN and short-term outcome.ResultsThere were 80 patients in CIN group (average age was 71.60 ± 13.00 years; 67.5% male) and 231 patients in non-CIN group (average age was 63.80 ± 11.70 years; 71.9%male). The concentration of GDF-15 in CIN group was higher than that of non-CIN group (1232 ± 366.6 ng/L vs. 939.20 ± 309.6 ng/L, P <0.001). According to GDF-15 quartiles, patients were divided into four groups. Multivariate logistic model indicated that the highest quartile(Q4) was significantly associated with an increased risk of CIN compared with lower level of GDF-15 (Q1, Q2 and Q3) (OR : 3.572, 1.803–7.078, P < 0.001). Of 243 patients who could calculate the ACEF risk score, area under the curve (AUC) of GDF-15 was 0.793, 95%CI: 0.729–0.856, P < 0.001, while AUC of ACEF was 0.708, 95%CI: 0.630–0.786, P < 0.001. Using 10% and 30% as arbitrary thresholds to define patients at low, intermediate, and high risk, GDF-15 achieved a net reclassification improvement (NRI) of 0.32 (95%CI: 0.123–0.518, P = 0.001) compared with the ACEF risk score. Cox regression model showed that high concentration of GDF-15 (Q4) was significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality and major adverse clinical events (MACE) (HR: 8.434, 95%CI: 2.650–26.837, P <0.001; HR: 3.562, 95%CI: 1.658–7.652, P = 0.001) compared with low level of GDF-15 (Q1, Q2 and Q3). CIN was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality and MACE in AMI patients (HR: 3.535, 95%CI: 1.135–11.005, P = 0.029; HR: 5.154, 95%CI: 2.228–11.925, P <0.001).ConclusionGDF-15 levels increased in CIN group in AMI patients underwent PCI. GDF-15 was an independent risk factor for CIN in AMI patients underwent PCI. GDF-15 level and CIN are independent risk factors for all-cause mortality and MACE in short-term follow-ups.