Concern about contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is omnipresent in modern clinical practice and can inhibit the timely administration of appropriate therapies to patients. However recent evidence suggests that the true incidence of CIN may be much lower than previously realized. This article describes a meta-analysis of published studies and the results of a large retrospective controlled study involving no fewer than 50 000 patients.
The results suggest that previous uncontrolled studies have overestimated the incidence and severity of CIN. The need for further properly controlled studies and for the development of more specific biomarkers of renal injury is highlighted.