Insulin-like growth factor I preserves renal function postoperatively

Deterioration of renal function, which can lead to postoperative renal failure, is a complication of surgery involving the suprarenal aorta and surgery involving the renal arteries. Fifty-four patients who were at risk for developing this complication were enrolled in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) as a therapeutic agent to prevent the decline in renal function. The primary end point was the incidence of renal dysfunction, defined as a reduction of the glomerular filtration rate (creatinine clearance) at each of three measurements over 72 h. IGF-I (100 μg/kg subcutaneously every 12 h for 6 doses) or placebo was administered on admission to the intensive care unit immediately postoperatively. IGF-I- and placebo-treated groups were well matched for sex, age, type of surgery, renal ischemic time during surgery (ischemic index), baseline creatinine clearance, and baseline serum creatinine. No patient in the study developed acute renal failure postoperatively. IGF-I was well tolerated. A smaller proportion of patients in the IGF-I group had a postoperative decline in renal function (22%) than in the placebo-treated group (33%). There were no significant differences in levels of serum creatinine at time of discharge, length of hospital stay, length of intensive care unit stay, length of intubation, or incidence of dialysis or death. Our findings establish the feasibility and potential utility for the use of IGF-I to reduce the incidence of postoperative renal dysfunction in high-risk patients.