Renal Recovery and Dialysis Dependency after Contrast-Induced Nephropathy: Insights from a Nigerian Cohort

Background: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) remains a significant cause of hospital-acquired acute kidney injury (AKI) globally, with limited data from sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to evaluate short-term renal outcomes, including recovery and dialysis dependency, in patients who developed CIN after contrast-enhanced procedures at a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. Methods: A prospective study was conducted at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital involving 150 adult patients undergoing radiologic procedures requiring contrast media. Serum creatinine and cystatin C were measured at baseline, 24, 48, and 72-hours post-contrast to identify CIN, defined as an increase in serum creatinine >0.5 mg/dL or >25% from baseline. Renal function was followed up over 3 months to assess outcomes. Results: CIN was diagnosed in 30% of patients using creatinine and 49.3% using cystatin C. Among the 45 patients diagnosed with CIN, 33 (73.3%) experienced complete renal recovery within two weeks. Eight (17.9%) had persistent renal dysfunction, of which six recovered without dialysis, while two (4.6%) required dialysis. At three months, one patient remained dialysis-dependent, two had not recovered, and four were lost to follow-up. Major predictors of CIN included advanced age, higher contrast volume, elevated baseline serum creatinine, and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Conclusion: CIN is a prevalent complication following contrast administration in this Nigerian cohort. While most patients recover within weeks, a subset remains at risk for persistent dysfunction and dialysis dependency. These findings underscore the importance of risk stratification and close follow-up in resource-limited settings.