Safety of intravenous gadolinium (Gd-BOPTA) infusion in patients with renal insufficiency

The safety of gadolinium (Gd-benzyloxypropionictetra-acetate [BOPTA] dimegl umine) infusion was evaluated in 32 patients with severe or moderate chroni c renal failure in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-control led study. Renal failure was defined as severe if creatinine clearance was between 10 and 29 mL/min, and as moderate if creatinine clearance was betwe en 30 and 60 mL/min. Serum creatinine level and 24-hour urine samples for c reatinine clearance were followed up serially for 7 days after the administ ration of either gadolinium (Gd-BOPTA dimeglumine), 0.2 mmol/kg, or a salin e infusion. No patient experienced a significant change in renal function, defined as an increase in serum creatinine level greater than 0.5 mg/dL mor e than baseline, and no patient required hospitalization or dialysis during the study period. Gadolinium (Gd-BOPTA dimeglumine) appears to be well tol erated in patients with moderate to severe renal failure. (C) 2000 by the N ational Kidney Foundation, Inc.