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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jun 22.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Nephrol. 2010 Sep 28;6(11):679–688. doi: 10.1038/nrneph.2010.116

Table 2.

Potential therapeutic agents for the prevention of CIAKI in patients with diabetes

Agent Administration putative mechanism of action evidence
Renal vasodilators (e.g. dopamine) Oral or intravenous Increased renal blood flow Numerous studies failed to show benefit; some suggestions of harm94
Sodium bicarbonate Intravenous Increased pH of tubular urine Unclear; might cause harm through pro-oxidant properties96,100
N-acetylcysteine Oral or intravenous (treatment duration is controversial) Antioxidant effects, reduction of reactive oxygen species Mixed evidence, but seems to be beneficial101
Adenosine-receptor antagonists (theophylline and antagonists of adenosine receptor A1) Oral or intravenous Antagonism of adenosine-mediated vasoconstriction Theophylline: some evidence of benefit112,113 Selective adenosine receptor A1 antagonists: preliminary animal116 and human113 data suggest that these agents increase GFR
Statins (simvastatin and atorvastatin) Oral Pleiotropic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects Conflicting results from trials125,126

Abbreviations: CIAKI, contrast-induced acute kidney injury; GFR, glomerular filtration rate.