Objective: The effect of statins in preventing contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) has been reported, with conflicting results. The aim of this study was to carry out an updated meta-analysis to determine whether pretreatment with statins can reduce the risk of CIN and adverse clinical events.
Materials and methods: Systematic database searches of MEDLINE (1950 to December 2013), EMBASE (1966 to December 2013), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 12, December 2013) were performed. All randomized controlled trials assessing the efficacy of statins on CIN were included.
Results: Seventeen studies with 6323 patients were included. Pretreatment with statins before angiography significantly reduced the risk of CIN [relative risk 0.50; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35-0.71; P<0.001] and was associated with significantly lower postprocedural serum creatinine levels (weighted mean difference -0.05 mg/dl; 95% CI -0.09 to -0.02 mg/dl; P=0.005). Meanwhile, the use of statins resulted in trends of reduced risks of renal replacement therapy and all-cause death within 30 days (relative risk 0.44; 95% CI 0.18-1.08; P=0.07). Further analyses indicated that high-dose statins were more effective than low-dose statins in reducing the risk of CIN and that different types of statins showed similar effects in preventing CIN.
Conclusion: Pretreatment with statins before angiography is effective in preventing CIN and may reduce the risk of adverse clinical events. However, the optimal dose and duration for statin pretreatment are still unknown.