Prognostic value of spontaneous hyponatremia in cirrhosis with ascites

Spontaneous hyponatremia in cirrhosis with ascites is generally considered to be due to an impaired renal ability to excrete free water, to be a contraindication of diuretics, and to be a bad prognostic sign. These concepts are reviewed in this paper. 55 cirrhotics with ascites were divided into three groups. Group I consisted of 13 patients with hyponatremia and very low free-water clearance ( , 0.07±0.26 ml/min). These patients also had poor renal function: low inulin clearance (C _INU , 40.6±25.9 ml/min) and paraamino-hippurate clearance (C _PAH , 383±275 ml/min). Group II consisted of 8 patients who also had hyponatremia. , C _INU , and C _PAH in these patients were fairly high: 5.85±1.53 ml/min, 85.7±26.2 ml/min, and 651±294 ml/min. These values are similar to those of the 34 patients without hyponatremia who make up Group III: (6.37±4.27 ml/min, 94.7±33.1 ml/min, and 598±199 ml/min). Hyponatremia in Group I could be related to the impaired free-water clearance. The mechanism of hyponatremia in Group II patients is not clear. Patients with hyponatremia and low C _INU and C _PAH had a negative response to diuretics and a poor prognosis. Patients with hyponatremia but with relatively good renal function had a good prognosis, similar to Group III patients. They responded to diuretics with no worsening of their hyponatremia.Presented in part at the Eighth Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver, September, 1973, Vittel, France.     

托伐普坦片治疗肝硬化腹水、低钠血症的效果及安全性

目的 评价在常规治疗基础上应用托伐普坦治疗肝硬化合并腹水、低钠血症的效果和安全性.方法 纳入2018年8月—2019年10月在我院治疗的30例肝硬化合并腹水、低钠血症患者,按照随机数字表法分为托伐普坦组(15例)和对照组(15例).托伐普坦组患者在常规治疗基础上服用托伐普坦片,15 mg/d;对照组患者在常规治疗基础上...     

The management of ascites and hyponatremia in cirrhosis

Ascites is the most common complication of cirrhosis and is associated with an increased risk for the development of infections, dilutional hyponatremia, renal failure, and mortality. Cirrhotic patients who develop ascites and associated complications have a low probability of long-term survival without liver transplantation, and therefore should be referred for evaluation of liver transplantation. While the initial management of uncomplicated ascites with low-sodium diet and diuretic treatment is straightforward in the majority of patients, there is a group of patients who fail to respond to diuretics and develop refractory ascites. The development of specific associated complications such as dilutional hyponatremia may further challenge the management of patients with ascites. New pharmacological agents such as the V2 receptor antagonists, drugs that directly antagonize the effects of elevated plasma antidiuretic hormone levels, induce solute-free water diuresis and seem to be promising in the management of patients with cirrhosis, ascites, and dilutional hyponatremia. This article focuses on the pathophysiology, clinical consequences, current management, and new treatment modalities for ascites and dilutional hyponatremia in cirrhosis.     

Dilutional hyponatremia, hepatorenal syndrome and liver transplantation

Cirrhosis is a chronic, progressive disease characterized by complications associated with portal hypertension and liver failure. Renal function disorders are a common complication in patients with cirrhosis and are associated with high morbidity and mortality and poor prognosis. Renal function alterations in these patients include sodium and water retention and renal vasoconstriction. Sodium retention causes the formation of ascites and edema, solute-free water leads to dilutional hyponatremia, and renal vasoconstriction gives rise to the development of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). Due to their poor prognosis, the presence of ascites, dilutional hyponatremia and HRS are indications for liver transplantation (LT). Recent studies have allowed new prognostic factors in these patients to be identified, novel treatments for dilutional hyponatremia and HRS to be applied, and the association of these complications with disease course and outcome before and after LT to be described. The present review discusses new concepts of the physiopathology, evaluation and treatment of cirrhotic patients with dilutional hyponatremia and HRS and the relationship of these entities with LT.     

Total paracentesis in cirrhotic patients with tense ascites and dilutional hyponatremia

OBJECTIVE: The safety of large-volume paracentesis with plasma expander infusion in ascitic cirrhotic patients with advanced liver disease, hyponatremia, or renal failure has not been elucidated. Our aim was to investigate the safety of total paracentesis in cirrhotic patients with ascites and severe hyponatremia. METHODS: Forty-five cirrhotic patients with tense ascites were treated with total paracentesis and infusion of plasma expanders. At inclusion, 20 patients showed severe hyponatremia (serum sodium <130 mEq/L). In the remaining 25 patients, serum sodium was >130 mEq/L (range, 133-146 mEq/L). RESULTS: Plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) were significantly higher in patients with hyponatremia (PRA: 19.7 +/- 5.8 ng/mL/h; PAC: 217 +/- 35 ng/dL) than in those patients without hyponatremia (PRA: 4.9 +/- 1.1 ng/mL/h; PAC: 95 +/- 31 ng/dL), indicating a more severe systemic hemodynamic deterioration. After paracentesis, PRA and PAC increased similarly in both groups of patients. Serum sodium levels remained unchanged after paracentesis in patients with hyponatremia (127 +/- 0.5 to 128 +/- 1.5 mEq/L) and decreased slightly in patients without hyponatremia (137 +/- 1 to 135 +/- 1 mEq/L; p < 0.005). The incidence of complications during the first hospitalization, the probability of readmission for complications of cirrhosis, and the probability of survival at 1 yr were similar in both groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that therapeutic paracentesis is a safe treatment for tense ascites in cirrhotic patients with severe hyponatremia.     

肝硬化患者稀释性低钠血症的发生机制及治疗进展

失代偿期肝硬化常发生机体水平衡紊乱,导致水潴留和稀释性低钠血症(DH)。多项研究表明,V2受体拮抗剂对治疗肝硬化合并DH患者是有效的,它们能够提高自由水清除率、增加血钠浓度,不良反应较轻,有望成为临床上治疗肝硬化腹水合并DH的有效药物。     

Hyponatremia in patients with ascites complicating liver cirrhosis]

Eighty unselected cases of hyponatremia complicating liver cirrhosis were analysed. Of these cases, 20 had sodium levels less than 135 mmol/L, 48 less than or equal to 130 mmol/L and 12 less than or equal to 125 mmol/L. 5 cases developed acute hyponatremic syndrome after abdominal paracentesis and high-dose of diuretics. Of these 5 cases, 1 died and 4 recovered after immediate infusion of 3% sodium chloride (200-300 ml/d intravenously for 7-10 days). Both the crystal and colloid pressure of blood determined in 10 cases were less than normal. The sodium level of the ascitic fluid determined in 5 cases was higher than that of serum. Respiratory alkalosis complicated with metabolic alkalosis or acidosis were the main features of acid-base disorders. These might be due to alkalinizing agents therapy, infection and hepato-renal syndrome. Based on these clinical studies, it was shown that paracentesis and diuretics are the main causes of acute hyponatremic syndrome, so these measures should be taken carefully in patients with hyponatremic state previously, especially in patients with poor general, hepatic and renal conditions.     

肝硬化顽固性腹水治疗现状

目的 腹水是失代偿期肝硬化的常见表现,其中顽固性腹水的发病率为5%～10%,患者生存率低。国内外大量研究对顽固性腹水的治疗进行了研究报道,并取得了一定的进展。本文针对目前顽固性腹水的治疗现状和进展进行了较为系统的综述。     

肝硬化腹水治疗进展

腹水是指超过正常生理范围（200ml）的液体在腹腔内积聚,是肝硬化最常见的并发症之一。腹水的出现预示着肝硬化进入失代偿期,提示预后不良,影响患者的生存质量。约50％代偿期肝硬化患者将在10年内发生腹水,约44%腹水患者于5年内死亡[1]。及时、规范的治疗可以有效提高患者生存率。近年来,国内外对腹水的控制和治疗有了不少被证明有效的新经验。