Renal function in children after large dose contrast medium angiocardiography.

Serum creatinine and routine urinalysis were obtained and glomerular filtration rate estimated in 56 consecutive and hemodynamically stable children with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography, a day prior to, 1 and 7 days following the procedure. None had a history of renal disease. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group I, 32 patients who received less than 3 ml/Kg of Renagrafin 60 and Group II, 24 patients who received greater than 3 ml/Kg. Despite a slight rise of creatinine on the first day, there were no statistically significant changes in serum creatinine or glomerular filtration rate for either group following the procedure. Occult blood was present in the urine of 2 in Group I and 1 in Group II prior to cardiac catheterization; this resolved in all cases after the procedure. Three patients in Group I and 1 in Group II developed transient trace proteinuria following the angiographic procedure. It is concluded that in children with congenital heart disease and normal kidney function, substantial doses of standard contrast medium administered during angiocardiography do not produce any apparent impairment of renal function.