Abstract: Objective To observe the effect of half-dose fluorescein sodium (FINa) contrast agent on liver and kidney functions in patients with mild to moderate (stage 1 to 3) chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN). Methods Seventy-seven patients (including 50 male and 27 female patients with an mean age of 53.5±9.6 years) with CKD with normal renal function or mild to moderate abnormalities underwent fundus fluorescein angiography (FFG) examination with half-dose FINa. Liver function, blood creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urine β2 microglobulin (β2-MG), and glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of the patients were measured within 3 days before intravenous injection of the contrast agent and at 1, 3, 7, and 30±1 days after the operation to analyze the effect of the contrast agent on renal function. Results Among the 77 patients, CIN occurred only in one case with an incidence rate of 1.30%. BUN, urine β2-MG, or rapid microalbumin/creatinine did not vary significantly after FFA in these patients. Scr levels showed no significant increments at 1 day and 7 days after FFA, but increased significantly at 3 days (24.6±2.3; P<0.01) and 30 days (16.0±21.7; P<0.05). Urine NAG enzymes and urinary osmolality were significantly reduced at 1, 3, 7, and 30 days after FFA (P<0.01). The eGFR decreased significantly to 10.23±0.62 at 3 days after FAG and became normal at 7 days. Urine albumin level decreased significantly at 1, 3, 7, and 30 days after FFA (P<0.01). Blood β2-MGFAG level increased significantly at 3 days after FFA (0.314± 0.121; P<0.01), but decreased to 0.134±0.143 at 7 days (P<0.05). The level transaminase decreased significantly at 3 and 7 days after FFA (P<0.01). Conclusion Half-dose of FINa has no significant effect on liver function and has only minimal effect on kidney function in patients with mild to moderate CKD, and FFA with half-dose FINa can therefore be safely performed in these patients.

Key words: fluorescein angiography; mild chronic kidney disease; glomerular filtration rate