Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis: a review of 6 cases temporally related to gadodiamide injection (omniscan).
OBJECTIVE
Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a rare acquired disorder that was first recognized in 1997. Presented is a retrospective review of 6 cases of NSF diagnosed by skin biopsy in our institution during the past 4 years and their relationship to gadodiamide exposure.


RESULTS
Patient age ranged from 23 to 71 years. The onset of symptoms consistent with NSF was between 19 days and 2 months after gadodiamide exposure. Five patients had severe renal impairment and started dialysis around the period of gadodiamide exposure (1 day before the 37 days after contrast administration). The sixth patient had a clotted access at the time of a contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance venogram and was hence not being adequately dialyzed. The dose of gadodiamide ranged from 16 to 40 mL (0.11 to 0.36 mmol/kg). Despite having normal serum bicarbonate, 5 of the 6 patients had an elevated anion gap metabolic acidosis.


CONCLUSIONS
In our 6 patients, all had either failing native or transplant kidneys at the time of gadodiamide exposure. The development of NSF was temporally related to gadodiamide injection, suggesting as the etiology dechelation of the agent and thus emphasizing the need for change in clinical practice.
Khurana
Anand
A
Department of Nephrology, Scott and White Clinic and Hospital, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Temple, Texas 76508, USA. akhurana@swmail.sw.org
Runge
Val M
VM
Narayanan
Mohanram
M
Greene
John F
JF
Nickel
Allan E
AE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; C064925:gadodiamide; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA