Adverse reactions to radiocontrast media in an Indian population

This study was conducted to determine the epidemiological characteristics a nd clinical presentation of adverse reactions to intravenous radiocontrast media (CM) in patients of Indian origin. 379 of 1798 patients who received either sodium iothalamate or sodium meglumine diatrizoate developed adverse reactions (i.e. 21.08% of patients). The incidence of mild, moderate and s evere adverse reactions were 19.47%, 1.33% and 0.28%, respectively. One pat ient who developed a severe reaction expired. There were no differences in the incidence of adverse reactions according to gender (males 21.2%; female s 20.8%; p=0.907) or age (p=0.876). The incidence of adverse reactions was significantly higher in patients with a history of previous reactions (45.5 %) than in those with no history (20.9%; p=0.046). The incidence of reactio ns was also significantly higher in patients with a history of predisposing factors such as bronchial asthma (69.2%) and diabetes mellitus (60.0%) tha n in those without such a history (20.6%; p=0). The incidence of adverse re actions in patients who received premedication prior to CM administration b ecause of a history of predisposing factors (21.4%) was not significantly d ifferent from that in patients who were not premedicated (21.2%; p=0.974), a result probably due to inadequate premedication used in the study. The sk in was the most commonly affected site of reaction.