IOPENTOL (IMAGOPAQUE(R)-300) COMPARED WITH IOXAGLATE (HEXABRIX(R)-320) IN KNEE ARTHROGRAPHY - A CLINICAL-TRIAL ASSESSING IMMEDIATE AND LATEADVERSE EVENTS AND DIAGNOSTIC INFORMATION

Objectives. This trial was designed to compare the incidence of delaye d postprocedural pain after administration of iopentol (Imagopaque(R), Nycomed Imaging AS, Oslo, Norway) 300 mg I/ml Versus ioxaglate (Hexab rix(R), Guerbet, Aulnay-sous-Bois, France) 320 mg I/ml in single-contr ast knee arthrography. Other adverse events and radiographic efficacy were also evaluated. Methods. A randomized, double-blind study was per formed in 120 patients. Immediate adverse events were recorded up to 3 0 min post-injection, and late adverse events, including knee pain and swelling, up to 4 days after the examination (by using a patient ques tionnaire). Diagnostic information obtained up to 20 min after injecti on was assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Results. Signific antly more patients in the ioxaglate group (50%) than in the iopentol group (30%) reported increased knee pain during the 4 days following t he examination (p < 0.05). Adverse events up to 30 min after the exami nation, and late adverse events other than knee pain, were reported by similar numbers of patients in the two contrast medium groups. The di agnostic information was similar in both groups. Conclusion. Both iope ntol and ioxaglate are effective and safe contrast media for use in kn ee arthrography, but iopentol induces less postprocedural pain.