Acute side effects of iopromide and diatrizoate in urography.

Purpose: In a prospective study, we compared the acute (0-2 h) side effects of ionic and nonionic contrast media in 767 patients undergoing intravenous urography.
Material and Methods: A nonionic contrast medium (iopromide) was compared to an ionic contrast medium (diatrizoate).
Results: Side effects occurred in 25 patients (7.9%) receiving iopromide and in 104 patients (23.1%) receiving diatrizoate (p < 0.01). The reactions in the iopromide group were mild in 11 patients, moderate in 5, and severe in 1. The reactions were 83, 19 and 2, respectively, in the diatrizoate group. The number of reactions that required treatment was equal in the two groups (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: At intravenous urography, iopromide induced fewer side effects compared to diatrizoate.