Combined C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, and microalbuminuria panel for contrast-induced nephropathy risk stratification after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background

Cancer patients with cardiovascular comorbidities requiring contrast-based cardiac procedures face substantially amplified risk for contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN), driven by anticancer therapy-related systemic inflammation, nephrotoxicity, and endothelial dysfunction. Validated biomarker-based risk stratification tools that capture these distinct pathophysiologic mechanisms are urgently needed in cancer cardiology practice. This study evaluated the combined predictive value of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and microalbuminuria (MAU) for CIN development following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with direct implications for cardio-oncology risk stratification.