Effects of iodinated contrast media on endothelium: An in vitro study

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of radiographic contrast media (CM) on endothelial cells in order to compare the effects of non-ionic (Iomeron and Visipaque) and ionic (Hexabrix and Uromiro) CM on the endothelial cells (EC). Human and murine cells were exposed for 2, 4 and 24 h to increasing concentrations (12.5, 25, 50 and 100 mg/mL) of test compounds. Controls were incubated with complete growth medium or mannitol solution (osmotic control). MTT assay was used to evaluate the cell viability, LDH assay was used to evaluate the membrane damage. The results demonstrate a difference between non-ionic and ionic compounds in the effect on endothelium. Ionic CM show to strongly affect endothelial cells viability under all tested conditions, while non-ionic CM show effects only after prolonged exposure at 50 and 100 mg/mL, which represent instant concentrations lasting just minutes after intravascular injection of CM. Taken together, these results confirm that the currently employed non-ionic contrast media are well tolerated by the vascular endothelium and have wide margins of safety.