Association of radial versus femoral access with contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at an increased risk of developing contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). Data on the association between transradial (TRA) vs. transfemoral (TFA) access and the risk of CI-AKI in this setting are limited.

METHODS: We analyzed data on 1162 patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI at two tertiary care centers between 2010 and 2014. Primary outcome was CI-AKI, defined as a relative rise in serum creatinine of ≥25%, or an absolute increase of ≥0.5mg/dL, within 48h of primary PCI. We used multivariable logistic regression and propensity analysis to determine the association between vascular access site and CI-AKI.

RESULTS: Of 1162 patients who underwent primary PCI for STEMI, TFA was used in 857 (73.8%), and TRA in 305 (26.2%) patients. In the unmatched cohort, TRA was associated with numerically lower rates of CI-AKI as compared with TFA; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance (5.9% vs. 7.0%; unadjusted OR 0.83, 95%CI 0.48-1.44, p=0.510; adjusted OR 0.84, 95%CI 0.44-1.62, p=0.610). Similar results were seen in a propensity matched cohort of 508 patients (254 TRA and 254 TFA; CI-AKI 5.5% vs. 8.3%, OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.32-1.30, p=0.220).

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI, TRA was not associated with a lower risk of CI-AKI, as compared with TFA. Randomized controlled trials are needed to definitely assess the role of vascular access site in reducing the risk of CI-AKI in patients undergoing primary PCI for STEMI.

SUMMARY: In patients with STEMI undergoing primary PCI, the overall incidence of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) was low (6.7%). Transradial access was not associated with a lower risk of CI-AKI as compared with transfemoral access.