Use of Prophylactic High-Dose Statin Therapy to Reduce Contrast-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Adults Undergoing Acute Coronary Angiography

Abstract

Background Development of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, hospital length of stay, and overall health care costs. Objectives The purpose of this project was to evaluate a clinical practice change—the addition of high-dose statin therapy to standard renal protection measures—in adults undergoing acute cardiac catheterization procedures and assessing its effect on CI-AKI. Method The evaluation was a pretest/posttest descriptive design. Adult patients undergoing acute cardiac catheterization procedures were evaluated for the rate of CI-AKI before (10 months preimplementation, N = 283) and after (10 months postimplementation, N = 286) a recent practice change that added high-dose statin therapy (within 24 hours of dye exposure) to a standard renal protection bundle (intravenous fluids, maximum dye calculations, and avoidance of nephrotoxic medications). Outcomes included the rate of CI-AKI, stage of acute kidney injury, need for new hemodialysis, discharge disposition (alive or died in the hospital), and hospital length of stay. Results Patients in the postintervention group that received renal protection bundle with high-dose statin had significantly lower incidence of CI-AKI (10.1% pre vs 3.2% post; P < .001). There were no significant differences in hospital length of stay, need for new hemodialysis, or mortality. Administration of high-dose statin within 24 hours of the cardiac catheterization procedure improved significantly (19.4% pre vs 74.1% post; P < .001). Adherence to all 5 components of the renal bundle improved post intervention (17% pre vs 73.4% post; P < .001). Discussion The addition of a high-dose statin in addition to existing renal protective measures in patients with acute cardiac procedures is associated with a decreased incidence of CI-AKI.