[Must the patient fast before intravascular injection of a non-ionic contrast medium? Results of a controlled study].
OBJECTIVE
Prospective evaluation of food and fluid restriction before the intravascular injection of a non-ionic contrast medium.


METHODS
1000 patients (657 men, 343 women; average age 59 +/- 1/4 5 years) undergoing intravascular contrast injections (CT, phlebography, angiography, urography) were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A had no fluid or solids for at least four hours before the injection (499 cases); group B were allowed unlimited food and fluid (501 cases). Both groups were comparable in all other respects and all were given the non-ionic contrast medium iopamidol (300 mg l/ml).


RESULTS
The incidence of acute complications was 3.5%. There was, however, no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.29). Late adverse reactions were seen in 3.9% patients. There was again no difference between the two groups (p = 0.33). No serious or life threatening complications occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Restriction of food and fluid before intravascular injection of contrast medium does not reduce the number of adverse side effects. For reasons of patient comfort and compliance, and to achieve adequate hydration, the patient should not fast before injection of contrast.
Wagner
H J
HJ
Abteilung Strahlendiagnostik, Klinikum der Philipps-Universität Marburg.
Evers
J P
JP
Hoppe
M
M
Klose
K J
KJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005215:Fasting / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007479:Iopamidol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014567:Urography
D003287:Contrast Media; D007479:Iopamidol