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)

The plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor in liver cirrhosis can be affected by various factors, such as ascites, renal function, use of diuretics drugs and dietary sodium intake. Moreover, the influence of high intra-abdominal pressure on cardiac atrial natriuretic factor release in patients with tense ascites has not been investigated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the circulating levels of atrial natriuretic factor and their relationships to plasma renin activity, aldosterone concentration, and urinary sodium excretion in 45 cirrhotic patients divided into 4 groups: (a) cirrhotics without ascites; (b) nonazotemic cirrhotics with ascites; (c) cirrhotics with ascites and functional renal failure; and (d) cirrhotics with ascites taking diuretics. In some patients with tense ascites, atrial natriuretic factor was also measured after rapid abdominal relaxation by large volume paracentesis. Plasma levels of atrial natriuretic factor obtained in 13 healthy control subjects after 5 days on a 40-50 mEq sodium daily intake were 22.8 +/- 3.3 pg/ml. Mean plasma atrial natriuretic factor levels were normal in patients without ascites (35.1 +/- 11.4 pg/ml) and in those with ascites taking diuretics (27 +/- 9.2 pg/ml), but elevated in patients with ascites not taking diuretics (59.6 +/- 12 pg/ml) and in those with ascites and functional renal failure (58.5 +/- 16.6 pg/ml). These data show that plasma atrial natriuretic factor levels are elevated only in cirrhotic patients who are ascitic and not taking diuretics. In these patients atrial natriuretic factor levels were directly correlated with urinary sodium excretion, even though sodium balance was positive. This could be the consequence of the contrasting effects of antinatriuretic factors, as suggested by the inverse relationships between atrial natriuretic factor and urinary sodium on the one hand and plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration on the other. Twenty-six patients with tense ascites (12 taking diuretics and 14 not) were treated with rapid large-volume paracentesis (6500 +/- 330 ml of ascitic fluid removed in 168 +/- 16 min). At the end of the procedure, plasma atrial natriuretic factor levels had increased in all patients (from 45.5 +/- 10.1 to 100 +/- 17 pg/ml), whereas plasma renin activity and plasma aldosterone concentration had decreased (from 10.3 +/- 1.6 to 7 +/- 1.3 ng/ml/h, and 1160 +/- 197 to 781 +/- 155 pg/ml, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Atrial natriuretic factor in cirrhotic patients with tense ascites. Effect of large-volume paracentesis. 213 4

To 11 patients with liver cirrhosis (5 with ascites) and 6 controls a one-hour dopamine infusion, 1.5 micrograms/kg/min., was administered. In all before administration of the infusion catheterization of the hepatic veins and lesser circulation was performed with concurrent assessment of the cardiac minute volume by thermodilution, and haemodynamic measurements were repeated also after the dopamine infusion. Before the dopamine administration and after termination of the infusion the plasma renin activity was assessed (PRA), plasma aldosterone, the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF), prolactin and in some patients also plasma catecholamines. Dopamine administration was not associated with an increase of the cardiac output, heart rate or peripheral resistance; the infusion had only purely dopaminergic effects. Plasma prolactin declined after dopamine administration significantly in controls (from 29.17 +/- 7.01 to 11.83 +/- 3.22, p less than 0.05, in patients with liver cirrhosis without ascites) from 18.16 +/- 2.44 to 8.64 +/- 2.01, p less than 0.01) in patients with ascites liver cirrhosis (from 23.5 +/- 9.3 to 15.2 +/- 7.47, p less than 0.05). In the controls after the dopamine infusion PRA suppression occurred (from 2.37 +/- 0.81 to 0.9 +/- 0.27, p less than 0.05), while in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis (from 0.97 +/- 0.41 to 0.85 +/- 0.34, n.s.) and in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis the PRA did not change significantly either (from 4.56 +/- 1.67 to 5.065 +/- 2.29, n. s.). After the dopamine infusion in none of the investigated patient groups changes of plasma aldosterone and ANF were recorded.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:[The effect of dopamine on hemodynamic and hormonal parameters in liver cirrhosis]. 214 Sep 56

The authors investigated dynamic changes and the interaction of the plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PAC), i.e. the main representatives of sodium retaining systems, and of the atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) the decisive natriuretic substance in acute expansion of the extracellular volume (ECV) by infusion of two litres of saline in six controls, seven patients with essential hypertension and liver cirrhosis without ascites (6 patients) and with ascites (6 patients). The expansion evoked controversial changes of these systems. It led to a rise of ANF and suppression of PAC and PRA. Although ANF rose after infusion to the roughly similar range (12.4 to 15.7 pmol/l), the natriuretic response to expansion differed significantly in different groups of patients. It was most marked in hypertonic subjects (517.2 to 93.2 mumols/min) and practically zero in ascitic liver cirrhosis (54.2 +/- 44.2 mumols/min). The explanation of this finding may be the persistence of high activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system despite its partial inhibition by infusion of saline in cirrhosis of the liver (PRA 1.69 +/- 0.66 nmols/l/hr., PAC 1.12 nmol/l). For the renal response to acute expansion of the ECV thus not only the absolute plasma concentration of ANF is decisive but also its ratio to the activity of the sodium retaining renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.
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PMID:[Mutual interaction of the renin-angiotensin system and the atrial natriuretic factor in the renal response to acute volume loading]. 214 4

Plasma concentrations of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), aldosterone (PA), vasopressin (AVP) and plasma renin activity (PRA) were measured in 15 patients with decompensated cirrhosis of the liver during a control period and subsequently during intravenous administration of albumin. Infusion of hyperoncotic albumin increased diuresis, natriuresis, stimulated ANP secretion and tended to normalize other vasoactive hormone levels in 9 patients (responders), whereas it had no effect in 6 other patients (non-responders). Responders had significantly lower basal levels of ANP and higher ones of PRA, and AVP than non-responders, suggesting that responders had decreased effective intravascular volume. Our data suggest that cirrhotic patients with ascites formation do not represent a homogenous group. In some patients with decompensated cirrhosis a compromised circulatory state with decreased effective circulatory volume induces compensatory changes in several regulatory hormones. It appears that secondary alterations in the plasma concentrations of ANP of cirrhotic patients may occur according to the suspected change of intravascular fluid volume.
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PMID:Atrial natriuretic peptide in patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis. 214 34

The ability of urine extracts to inhibit sodium and potassium-activated ATPase, cross-react with antidigoxin antibodies and induce natriuresis in rats was investigated in 10 healthy subjects, 10 cirrhotic patients without ascites (compensated cirrhotics), 27 nonazotemic cirrhotic patients with ascites and 10 cirrhotic patients with ascites and functional renal failure to assess whether reduced activity of natriuretic hormone contributes to sodium retention in cirrhosis. No significant differences were seen between healthy subjects and compensated cirrhotic patients in any of these parameters (sodium and potassium-activated ATPase inhibition = 178.5 +/- 19.8 vs. 247.4 +/- 48.7 nmol equivalent of ouabain/day; digoxinlike activity = 43.9 +/- 6.1 vs. 48.0 +/- 5.6 ng equivalent of digoxin/day; natriuretic activity = 0.36 +/- 0.15 vs. 0.63 +/- 0.27 mumol/min). Cirrhotic patients with ascites with and without functional renal failure showed significantly higher values of sodium and potassium-activated ATPase inhibition (708.1 +/- 94.0 and 529.2 +/- 53.9 nmol equivalent of ouabain/day, respectively), digoxinlike activity (136.9 +/- 7.2 and 116.3 +/- 7.9 ng equivalent of digoxin/day) and natriuretic activity (1.78 +/- 0.48 and 1.93 +/- 0.37 mumol/min) than healthy subjects and compensated cirrhotic patients. We saw no significant differences between these two groups of cirrhotic patients with ascites with respect to these parameters. In the cirrhotic patients studied, sodium and potassium-activated ATPase inhibition and antidigoxin antibodies directly correlated with the degree of impairment of hepatic and renal function, plasma renin activity and plasma levels of aldosterone and norepinephrine.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Natriuretic hormone activity in the urine of cirrhotic patients. 216 51

We compared acute hemodynamic, hormonal, and natriuretic responses to a single oral dose of captopril (50 mg) versus enalapril maleate (10 mg) administered to eight patients with biopsy-proved liver cirrhosis. Although the two angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors lowered (p less than 0.05) blood pressure with no change in heart rate during the early postdose period, captopril produced a greater (p less than 0.05) hypotensive effect than did enalapril. Enalapril caused a greater (p less than 0.01 to 0.05) ACE inhibition than did captopril during the 2- to 48-hour postdose period. Plasma renin activity increased (p less than 0.05) with the two drugs and returned toward baseline by 12 hours after administration. Plasma aldosterone levels, elevated before drug administration, were decreased by the two drugs in a stepwise fashion, but the suppressive effect was greater (p less than 0.01 or p less than 0.05) after captopril than after enalapril. Natriuresis was greater (p less than 0.05) during the first 24-hour period after enalapril than after captopril. The findings indicate that the acute pharmacodynamic responses to the two ACE inhibitors differ in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, the mechanism(s) of the divergent effects of the two drugs and the clinical implications remain obscure from this single-dose study.
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PMID:Intrapatient comparison of acute hemodynamic, hormonal, and natriuretic responses to captopril versus enalapril in liver cirrhosis. 219 47

The onset of sodium retention in the phenobarbital and carbon tetrachloride model of cirrhosis in the rat is preceded by a linear decrease in hepatic function as measured by the aminopyrine breath test. Sodium retention occurs when liver function decreases below a critical threshold. Changes in systemic hemodynamics may be responsible for initiating the development of renal sodium retention. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between hepatic function and systemic and renal hemodynamics of experimental cirrhosis in rats maintained on a constant salt diet. Cirrhosis was induced in phenobarbital-treated rats by weekly administration of carbon tetrachloride. The aminopyrine breath test served as a measure of hepatic function. Three groups of animals were studied to evaluate the contribution of changes in systemic and renal hemodynamics to the onset of sodium retention: a group with sodium retention and aminopyrine breath test results just below the critical threshold, a group without sodium retention and aminopyrine breath test results just above the critical threshold and a phenobarbital-treated control group. In each group, urinary sodium excretion, renal plasma flow, glomerular filtration rate, mean arterial pressure and arterial and renal venous plasma renin activities were determined. A progressive, significant reduction in mean arterial pressure was seen, comparing controls with the other two groups. No differences in renal plasma flow were observed between the three groups, but glomerular filtration rate and filtration fraction were slightly reduced in the sodium-retaining group compared with the non-retaining group and controls.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Renal and systemic hemodynamics in experimental cirrhosis in rats: relation to hepatic function. 219 9

Refractory ascites (or diuretic-resistant ascites), i.e. ascites that cannot be mobilized by medical treatment (low sodium diet and high doses of furosemide and spironolactone) is an infrequent phenomenon in cirrhosis. It usually occurs in patients with functional renal failure as a consequence of alteration in both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of diuretics. Peritoneovenous shunting, a procedure which improves systemic hemodynamics and renal function and suppresses the plasma levels of renin, aldosterone, norepinephrine and antidiuretic hormone in cirrhotics with ascites, has been proposed as the treatment of choice in patients with refractory ascites. Unfortunately it is associated to a high rate of severe complications and does not prolong the survival of these patients. Moreover, in approximately one third of the patients the shunt becomes occluded within the first year after operation. Recent studies have shown that repeated large volume paracentesis (4-64 per day until disappearance of ascites) or total paracentesis (complete mobilization of ascites in only one paracentesis session) associated to i.v. albumin infusion are an effective and safe therapy of ascites. At present, there is only one controlled trial comparing therapeutic paracentesis versus peritoneo-venous shunt in the management of patients with refractory ascites. In this study, there were no significant difference between both therapeutic groups with respect to survival. However, the incidence of readmission to hospital for the treatment of ascites was higher in the paracentesis group. Therefore, both procedures are valid therapeutic alternatives for that type of patients. Future studies are necessary to investigate if there are subsets of cirrhotics with refractory ascites in which one of these two types of treatment is especially indicated.
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PMID:Diuretic-resistant ascites in cirrhosis. Mechanism and treatment. 226 4

Repeated large-volume paracentesis (4-6 L/day) is an effective and safe therapy of ascites in patients with cirrhosis provided albumin is infused intravenously. To investigate whether ascites can be safely mobilized in only one paracentesis session ("total paracentesis"), 38 cirrhotic patients with tense ascites were treated with total paracentesis plus intravenous albumin (6-8 g/L ascites removed). Standard liver tests and renal function tests, glomerular filtration rate, free water clearance, plasma volume, plasma renin activity, and plasma aldosterone and norepinephrine concentrations were measured before and after treatment. Total paracentesis was effective in mobilizing ascites in all but 1 patient and did not impair any of the parameters studied. The volume of ascitic fluid removed and the duration of the procedure were 10.7 +/- 0.5 L (mean +/- SEM) and 60 +/- 3 min, respectively. Five of the 38 patients (13%) developed complications during the first hospital stay (hepatic encephalopathy and gastrointestinal hemorrhage in 2 patients each and culture-negative bacterial peritonitis in 1). No patient developed renal impairment. This complication rate, as well as the clinical course of the disease during follow-up, estimated by the probability of readmission to hospital, causes of readmission, and survival probability after treatment, was similar to that reported in patients treated with repeated large-volume paracentesis. These results indicate that total paracentesis associated with intravenous albumin can be safely performed in cirrhotic patients with tense ascites and suggest that these patients could be treated in a single-day hospitalization regime.
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PMID:Total paracentesis associated with intravenous albumin management of patients with cirrhosis and ascites. 229 73

The role of the RAA system in the genesis of ascites in liver cirrhosis patients is not yet perfectly clear. The present study was conducted on 176 cirrhosis patients in order to investigate RAA system function, to assess the changes taking place in the various stages of the disease and to correlate such changes with the various kidney function parameters. The patients were divided into 3 groups as follows: Group I: patients without ascites on admission and with no history of the condition; Group 2: patients with ascites of recent onset and/or response to diuretic treatment; Group 3: patients with ascites not responsive to diuretic treatment. In Group 1, 19 patients (38%) reveal a significant reduction in renin activity together with portal hypertension and increased hydrosaline retention. In Group 2 renin activity was reduced in 4 patients (6%), aldosterone activity in 3 (4%). Progressive deterioration in liver function parameters and progressive activation of the RAA system combined with reduced sodiuria content were found in over 50% of these patients. The presence or absence of portal hypertension in this group was not related to significant changes in diuresis or sodiuria. In Group 3 renin was activated in 54 patients (89%), aldosterone in 58 (95%) and there was also a distinct reduction in sodiuria (96% of patients) and chloruria (100%). A substantial increase was also noted in the incidence of low blood sodium (53%) while portal hypertension was found in 97% of patients. On the basis of those data it may be hypothesised that high pressure inside the liver creates the stimulus for primary sodium retention. The decrease in effective blood volume after vasodilation, accentuated by low blood albumin and splanchnic venous stagnation may the stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and RAA system. Hyperaldosteronism only becomes the dominant factor in renal imbalance when the cirrhosis reaches the resistant ascites phase.
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PMID:[The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in liver cirrhosis]. 231 15


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