Alpha-lipoic acid for the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy in patients undergoing coronary angiography: the ALIVE study - a prospective randomized trial.

OBJECTIVES

α-Lipoic acid (ALA) is widely used for diabetic neuropathy due to its antioxidant properties. We evaluated its potential for preventing contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN).

METHODS

We conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of ALA in CIN prevention. Two hundred and two patients with basal renal insufficiency who received elective coronary angiography were randomized to the ALA group [ALA treatment for 2 days (600 mg orally three times a day before and after coronary catheterization, n = 100)] or the control group (n = 102). The primary end point was the maximum increase in serum creatinine (sCr) and the secondary end point was the incidence of CIN defined as an increase in sCr of either ≥ 25% or ≥ 44.2 µmol/l.

RESULTS

Mean maximum increase in sCr was not different between the ALA and the control group (-1.32 ± 30.5 vs. -1.19 ± 30.1 µmol/l, respectively; p = 0.977). sCr did not significantly change from baseline (120.8 ± 69.8 vs. 122 ± 88.1 µmol/l) in the ALA group and the simple saline hydration group (108.2 ± 37.5 vs. 110 ± 49 µmol/l). There was a lower rate of CIN in the ALA group than in the control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (3.0 vs. 6.9%, respectively; p = 0.332).

CONCLUSION

ALA showed no benefit in CIN prevention.