Nephrotoxicity of cyclosporin A and contrast media. A comparison between diatrizoate and iohexol in rats.

Urine profiles (albumin, glucose, NAG, LDH, GGT and sodium) were followed for 22 h or 8 days after intravenous injection of diatrizoate, iohexol or saline in 30 adult Wistar rats in which nephrotoxicity was induced by daily peroral administration of 25 mg/kg body weight cyclosporin A over a 14-day period. Another 10 rats which had the vehicle of the cyclosporin A solution (placebo) and saline injected intravenously served as controls. The effect of iohexol and saline on the albumin excretion was similar, whereas diatrizoate increased it significantly. Both contrast media caused significantly increased excretion of all three enzymes. The contrast media had no effect on the excretion of glucose and sodium. Except for the fact that the excretion of NAG was significantly higher following iohexol than following diatrizoate 24 to 46 h after injection no significant differences between the two media were found from 24 h after injection among the rats given cyclosporin A. No contrast medium related changes were found by light microscopy of the kidneys. Neither iohexol nor diatrizoate potentiate acute cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity.