Incidence of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis at a large university hospital in Sweden

Abstract Objective.Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) is a rare condition that may follow administration of gadolinium-based contrast media (Gd-CM) in patients with renal insufficiency. This study was initiated to determine the incidence of NSF at Skane University Hospital, Malmo, in Sweden. Material and methods.During the period January 2001 to December 2008 10 650 patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. The re-expressed four-variable Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation was used to calculate the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The 272 patients with an eGFR <30 ml/min/1.73 m2 who were given Gd-CM were selected for final analysis. A diagnosis of NSF or other dermatological diagnoses in the 272 patients was searched for in the database of the Departments of Dermatology and Pathology. Results.The 272 patients, of whom 26 patients were on dialysis, had undergone 406 MRI examinations with Gd-CM. Mean follow-up time was 3.9 (±2.7 SD) years. Assuming a me...