ANALYSIS OF REACTIONS TO UROGRAPHIC CONTRAST MEDIUM AND AN EVALUATION OF PRETESTING

Abstract

5, 308 intravenous urographies were studied with reference to the incidence and clinical characteristics of reactions to urographic contrast medium. No clinical response was recorded in 94.7%. Mild reactions were noted in 4.9%, and intermediate reactions in 0.3%. Severe complications occurred in 0.1% and no death was encountered. The clinical characteristics of severe complication were hypotension in 5, and cyanosis in 1. The pretests in these cases gave us no available information to predict the reactions.
Since the pretest have proved to be unreliable in predicting reactions and no medical justification for pretesting exists, we emphasize that pretesting should be abandoned.