Using beetroot to prevent kidney damage during heart tests
Clinical trial
Coronary angiography is a diagnostic tool used for a number of heart conditions. The test involves the injection of a contrast dye to visualise the blood vessels around the heart.
Whilst this is generally safe, it can cause a complication called contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). CIN is the third highest reason for kidney failure occurring in hospital and often involves costly treatment, including dialysis. This project sought to investigate whether ingestion of inorganic nitrate could reduce the risk of CIN in patients undergoing coronary angiography.
The team recruited 640 patients to the trial, split into two groups; one given inorganic nitrate (beetroot capsules) and the other a placebo. The results indicated that those given the inorganic nitrate had a 20% lower rate of CIN than those given the placebo. It also significantly reduced the chance of complications during the procedure and the risk of post-procedure heart attack and death. These results are significant in terms of translational potential given the effectiveness of the intervention mapped against its relative simplicity.
The team are preparing a publication for submission to the Lancet and intend to make proposals for further funding.
The development of a new AI-supported model for imaging the heart based on data from over 700 people with atrial fibrillation, allow ablation to be more personalised to individual patients.
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