Will remote ischemic preconditioning prevent contrast nephropathy?
R emote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is a technique that uses brief episodes of non-injurious ischemia and reperfusion to reduce the risk of tissue injury after an ischemic event.
The proposed mechanism involves the neuronal and humoral pathways that modulate the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant mediators to protect organs from injury.
Several methods of RIPC have been explored, including the use of a sphygmomanometer inflated above systolic blood pressure or using a stent balloon.
There have been conflicting results about efficacy, but RIPC seems to be an exciting new prospect that warrants further evaluation before it can be recommended as a prophylactic technique for CIN prevention.
