Although remote ischemic post-conditioning (RIPC) has been shown to prevent contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) in patients with acute coronary syndrome, its efficacy in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains unclear. We examined the relationship among balloon inflations and deflations (BID) times, SYNTAX score of infarction-related artery (SI), periprocedural complications, and CIAKI in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI).Patients with STEMI undergoing pPCI with Mehran risk score (MRS) ≥ 5 were enrolled between February 2007 and September 2012. The study end point was the development of CIAKI.Of 206 patients, the median age was 65 years [interquartile range (IQR): 55-77] with 72.8% male and Mehran risk score (MRS) 8 (IQR: 6-12). Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that BID times > 9 times or SI > 10 was the best cut-off associated with CIAKI. In univariate analysis, significant association with CIAKI existed in BID > 9 times [odds ratio (OR): 3.106, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.284-7.513, p = 0.012] and SI > 10 (OR: 3.909, 95% CI: 1.570-9.735, p = 0.003). Other variables associated with CIAKI included creatinine, hemoglobin, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker use at discharge. In multivariate analysis, SI > 10 remained an independent predictor of CIAKI in different adjustment model, even on top of MRS (adjusted OR: 3.498, 95% CI: 1.086-11.268, p = 0.036).Vascular complexity of infarct-related artery rather than higher BID times (> 9) was the major determinant of the development of CIAKI after pPCI in STEMI patients.