Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0023890 (cirrhosis)
42,195 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

It is well known that posture affects natriuresis in cirrhosis and heart failure. This study evaluates the role of posture on spontaneous urinary salt excretion (U(Na)V) and diuretic-induced natriuresis in nephrotic patients with mild renal impairment. U(Na)V and plasma concentrations of the main hormones involved in sodium regulation were evaluated at baseline (Baseline) and after furosemide administration (20 mg intravenously at 8:00 AM [Diuretic]) in seven nephrotic patients with mild renal impairment (creatinine clearance, 68.5 +/- 7.6 mL/min) in either the supine or upright position for 6 hours (from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM). At baseline, U(Na)V was greater in the supine than upright position (sodium, 51.8 +/- 6.2 versus 38.3 +/- 6.1 mEq/d; P: < 0.01). Similarly, furosemide was more effective in increasing U(Na)V in the supine (sodium, 51.8 +/- 6.2 to 87.4 +/- 9.1 mEq/d; P: < 0.005) than upright position (sodium, 38.3 +/- 6.1 to 59.0 +/- 6.8 mEq/d; P: = not significant). Consequently, body weight decreased in the supine but not the upright position (-0.73 +/- 0.15 versus -0.17 +/- 0.22 kg; P: < 0. 05). Peripheral renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone (Aldo) concentrations were greater in the upright than supine position at both Baseline and Diuretic. A similar pattern was observed for hematocrit, used as an index of plasma volume. In addition, a positive correlation was detected between hematocrit and PRA (r = 0.89; P: < 0.001) in the upright position. Postural changes did not influence plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide. These data indicate that in nephrotic patients with mild impairment of glomerular filtration rate, the upright position causes a reduction in plasma volume; this hypovolemia activates the renin-Aldo system responsible for sodium retention in unstimulated conditions and a blunted natriuretic response to furosemide.
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PMID:Effect of posture on sodium excretion and diuretic efficacy in nephrotic patients. 1100 73

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Bacterial infections are known to trigger renal failure in patients with cirrhosis. However, the mechanisms for this process are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of endothelin-1 (ET-1) in a cirrhotic rat model with endotoxin induced renal failure by mixed ET-1 receptor antagonist, bosentan. METHODS: Cirrrhosis was induced by twice weekly intraperitoneal injections of CCl(4) together with phenobarbital in drinking water. Cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic rats were either pretreated with physiological saline or bosentan prior to administration of low dose endotoxin. Urine and blood samples were then collected within a period of 3 h for the estimation of ET-1, NO(3)(-)/NO(2)(-) levels ( nitric oxide metabolites: NO(x)) and renal function tests. RESULTS: Cirrhotic rats had higher ET-1 and NO(x) levels in comparison with non-cirrhotic rats. Endotoxin administration to cirrhotic rats led to the deterioration of the renal function, and elevation of plasma ET-1 and NO(x) levels. Bosentan pretreatment prior to endotoxin administration caused an increase in the urine volume and creatinine clearance of cirrhotic rats, but had no effect on Na(+) excretion. CONCLUSION: ET-1 has a significant role in endotoxin induced renal impairment in cirrhotic rats, and ET-1 receptor antagonism provides partial protection of the renal function.
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PMID:Role of endothelin-1 in a cirrhotic rat model with endotoxin induced acute renal failure. 1227 Jul 40

Ascites is the most common complication occurring during liver cirrhosis. Even if a significant decrease in renal clearance may be observed in the first step of chronic active liver disease, renal impairment, at times complicated by the typical signs of hepatorenal syndrome, occurs only in patients with ascites, especially when tense and refractory. Experimental and clinical data seem to suggest a primary sodium and water retention in the pathogenesis of ascites, in the presence of an intrahepatic increase of hydrostatic pressure, which, by itself, physiologically occurs during digestion. Abnormal sodium and water handling leads to plasma volume expansion, followed by decreased peripheral vascular resistance and increased cardiac output. This second step is in agreement with the peripheral arterial vasodilation hypothesis, depicted by an increase in total blood volume, but with a decreased effective arterial blood volume. This discrepancy leads to the activation of the sympathetic nervous and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone systems associated with the progressive activation of the renal autacoid systems, especially, that of the arachidonic acid. During advanced cirrhosis, renal impairment becomes more sustained and renal autacoid vasodilating substances are less available, possibly due to a progressive exhaustion of these systems. At the same time ascites becomes refractory inasmuch as it is no longer responsive to diuretic treatment. Various pathogenetic mechanisms leading to refractory ascites are mentioned. Finally, several treatment approaches to overcome the reduced effectiveness of diuretic therapy are cited. Paracentesis, together with simultaneous administration of human albumin or other plasma expanders is the main common approach to treat refractory ascites and to avoid a further decrease in renal failure. Other effective tools are: administration of terlipressin together with albumin, implantation of the Le Veen shunt, surgical porto-systemic shunting or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent-shunt, or orthotopic liver transplantation, according to the conditions of the individual patient.
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PMID:Update on ascites and hepatorenal syndrome. 1250 17

Assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) by common creatinine-based methods potentially is very inaccurate in patients with cirrhosis. Cirrhotic patients have several underlying conditions that contribute to falsely low serum creatinine concentrations, even in the presence of moderate to severe renal impairment, and often cause creatinine-based methods to overestimate true GFR. Such underlying conditions include decreased creatinine production secondary to decreased hepatic creatine synthesis, increased tubular creatinine secretion, and decreased skeletal muscle mass. These factors all contribute to serum creatinine concentrations that often do not accurately reflect renal function. Serum creatinine level, measured creatinine clearance, and calculated creatinine clearance may all significantly overestimate GFR; the degree of GFR overestimation was a median of 95% in published studies. Until more accurate methods of estimating GFR in cirrhotic patients are adequately validated, care should be exercised in the management of these patients because of the potential for severely impaired renal function, even in the face of normal serum creatinine concentrations.
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PMID:Assessing renal function in cirrhotic patients: problems and pitfalls. 1255 88

Nitric oxide (NO) is a powerful vasodilator agent that has been found to be elevated in patients with cirrhosis, and that plays a key role in the pathogenesis of the hemodynamic abnormalities found in these patients. The reasons for this increased NO synthesis are not entirely known, but at least two main mechanisms are involved: shear stress and bacterial-induced NO synthesis. This review focuses on bacterial-induced NO synthesis. Induction of NO synthesis by different cellular populations occurs when proinflammatory cytokines act synergistically, and also by endotoxin. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is the most dangerous infectious complication arising in patients with cirrhosis and ascites, and it is associated with high serum and ascitic fluid levels of proinflammatory cytokines. A subset of patients in this situation show high levels of serum and ascitic fluid NO levels when SBP is diagnosed, and these patients seem to be predisposed to the development of renal impairment. The increased NO synthesis and associated aggravated vasodilatation may be the reason why patients with SBP show high levels of plasma renin activity, in an attempt to counterbalance this new situation, and that the administration of albumin during the SBP episode significantly reduces the episode-related mortality.
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PMID:Nitric oxide in patients with cirrhosis and bacterial infections. 1260 7

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a peculiar form of progressive renal failure complicating the course of cirrhosis and ascites. The renal impairment of HRS is merely functional and potentially reversible. Notwithstanding, in spite of several encouraging attempts, a satisfactory medical treatment for HRS is still expected. Several pathophysiological mechanisms are active in HRS. Arachidonate metabolism derangements are among these, and prostaglandins and thromboxane antagonists have been tried with variable outcomes. Also leukotrienes (LT) appear to be involved in HRS. Three drugs (zileuton, montelukast and zafirlukast) interfering with LT synthesis and receptor binding are currently available, but they have not yet been tried in HRS. Accordingly, the author would like to suggest physicians engaged in care of these critical patients to consider a trial with these drugs-as well as with any future innovative agent active on the arachidonate-derived metabolic pathways.
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PMID:Anti-leukotriene drugs in the prevention and treatment of hepatorenal syndrome. 1262 21

Since the approval of sirolimus (SRL) as an immunosuppressive agent in renal transplantation, several liver transplant centres have introduced this agent to the immunosuppression regimen. We present here a retrospective follow-up study of late conversion to sirolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as immunosuppressive agents after liver transplantation (LTX). From July 2001 to March 2002, seven liver transplant recipients (three female, 59 (41-66) years old) were enrolled in this study. Indications for liver transplantation were hepatitis B and/or hepatitis C (three), alcohol-induced cirrhosis (three) and Wilson's syndrome (hepatolenticular degeneration) (one). LTX was performed by standard (four) or piggy-back (three) technique. The switch to SRL was performed 62 (37-118) months after LTX; the reasons for the switch from cyclosporine or tacrolimus to SRL were renal (six) or neurological (one) impairment. As immunosuppressive therapy, SRL at trough levels of 4-10 ng/ml and MMF at trough levels of approximately 1 micro g/ml were administered. Mean follow-up time under SRL per patient was 137 (26-258 days). Patient and graft survival was 100% during SRL therapy, and there were neither rejection episodes nor infections. Renal function improved in five of the six patients (83.3%) whom we had switched to SRL due to renal impairment. In the patient whom we switched to SRL due to neurological impairment, the neurological symptoms abated, and renal function improved. Side effects (hypertriglyceridaemia, hypercholesterolaemia, exanthema) became manifest in three patients (42.8%). Cessation of therapy due to side effects was necessary in two patients (exanthema: one, hypertriglyceridaemia: one). One patient refused to continue the therapy with SRL because he wanted tablets, and we only had SRL in fluid form. The data of our study suggest that SRL is a potent immunosuppressive agent of potential benefit in clinical LTX. SRL in combination with MMF provided sufficient immunosuppression of liver allografts in the late course after LTX. Side effects were reversible with dose reduction or cessation of therapy. We can thus conclude that SRL might offer an immunosuppressive therapy for patients with renal or neurological impairment after LTX.
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PMID:Sirolimus and mycophenolate mofetil after liver transplantation. 1268 25

A decreased effective arterial blood volume is the principal haemodynamic disturbance in cirrhosis, leading to activation of the renin angiotensin aldosterone and the sympathetic nervous systems, sodium and water retention and renal impairment. Albumin is a plasma expander that could be used in clinical settings in cirrhosis in which plasma expansion would reverse some of the decreased effective arterial blood volume, or prevent its iatrogenic (i.e., paracenteses) or spontaneous worsening (spontaneous bacterial peritonitis). However, apart from the issue of transmission of prion agents, which may become an important issue in clinical risk management of the use of albumin in the future, the problem with albumin is its expense. Every effort must thus be made to definitely prove albumin is always the best colloid for all clinical settings in cirrhosis. Further randomized trials are justified.
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PMID:Is the use of albumin of value in cirrhosis? The case not so in favour, or is there an alternative? 1456 92

Patients with cirrhosis and ascites show systemic and splanchnic arterial vasodilation, which causes a reduction in effective arterial blood volume and the activation of hormonal anti-natriuretic systems. Renal impairment is the most important predictor of hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients with SBP. In patients with SBP, the inflammatory response to the infection (TNF-alpha, IL-6) may be an important mechanism of renal dysfunction. Ascitic-fluid NO metabolites are related independently to the development of renal impairment. Treatment of SBP with intravenous albumin in addition to cefotaxime prevents renal impairment and reduces mortality in comparison with treatment with cefotaxime alone. As soon as ascites develops, liver transplantation should be considered in eligible patients, especially when local mean waiting times exceed life expectancy. Nitric oxide (NO), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of circulatory alterations observed in cirrhotic patients with ascites. Kidney failure is one of the main factors associated with mortality in patients with end-stage liver disease developing complications, particularly severe infections and variceal haemorrhage. Renal impairment occurs in patients with the highest concentration of cytokines in plasma and ascitic fluid and is associated with marked activation of the renin-angiotensin system. In patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), serum and ascitic fluid levels of NO metabolites (nitrites and nitrates) were higher than those of patients with sterile ascites, and renal impairment is considered to be caused by a decrease in effective arterial blood volume as a result of the infection. The administration of albumin prevents deterioration of renal function and reduces mortality in these patients. However, SBP and renal dysfunction are late complications in the course of liver cirrhosis. As soon as ascites develops, liver transplantation should be considered in eligible patients, especially when local mean waiting times exceed life expectancy. A better knowledge of metabolic disorders associated with the early stage of cirrhosis is essential for the development of optimal therapeutic strategies for the prophylaxis and treatment of portal hypertension and its complications.
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PMID:Nitric oxide and renal function in cirrhotic patients with ascites: from physiopathology to practice. 1516 58

This overview summarises available pharmacokinetic data on budesonide capsules (Entocort EC), approved for the treatment of mild-to-moderate active Crohn's disease involving the ileum and/or ascending colon and for prolongation of symptom control. Budesonide is a locally-acting glucocorticosteroid with an extensive, primarily hepatic, metabolism after oral administration. It is rapidly absorbed and biotransformed by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A to metabolites with negligible glucocorticoid activity. Entocort EC, a pH- and time-dependent oral formulation of budesonide, was developed to optimise drug delivery to the ileum and throughout the colon. Pharmaco-scintigraphic studies have confirmed that the Entocort EC formulation delays budesonide absorption and prolongs the rate of elimination but maintains complete absorption. This improves the delivery of budesonide to the intestinal lumen relative to a plain formulation. A low systemic availability of 9-21% indicates extensive first-pass elimination. Food appears to have little impact on the absorption of budesonide from Entocort EC capsules and the pharmacokinetics are dose-proportional between 3 and 15 mg. On average, systemic availability was 2.5-fold higher in patients with cirrhosis compared with healthy controls; however, mild liver impairment had little effect on systemic exposure. Pharmacokinetics appear unaffected by gender and age, although this has not been tested in younger children. Renal impairment is not expected to have an impact on the kinetics of Entocort EC. Budesonide is unlikely to inhibit the metabolism of other drugs, including CYP3A4 substrates, mainly because of the very low plasma concentrations obtained with the compound even after high doses of Entocort trade mark EC capsules. Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors, such as ketoconazole, will inhibit the metabolism of budesonide, resulting in several-fold increases in the area under the concentration-time curve of budesonide. Also, grapefruit juice intake may increase systemic availability of budesonide, probably by inhibition of intestinal CYP3A4 activity. Unlike prednisolone, oral contraceptives do not alter plasma budesonide concentrations. An increased pH obtained by gastric acid inhibitory drugs, such as omeprazole, does not affect the pharmacokinetics of budesonide. In summary, budesonide capsules (Entocort EC) possess many pharmacological features that make the formulation well adapted for a targeted treatment of inflammatory disorders, such as Crohn's disease involving the ileum and ascending colon.
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PMID:Pharmacokinetics of budesonide (Entocort EC) capsules for Crohn's disease. 1535 26


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