Low doses of terlipressin and albumin in the type I hepatorenal syndrome

BACKGROUND Hepatorenal syndrome is a pre-renal like dysfunction that generally onsets in cirrhotic patients presenting ascites. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated the improvement of renal function in subjects with hepatorenal syndrome after terlipressin administration and the survival times after this treatment. 30 patients affected by cirrhosis, with diagnosis of type I hepatorenal syndrome were treated with intravenous terlipressin plus albumin (group A) or with albumin alone (group B). Liver function, renal function, sodium plasma level and plasma renin activity were monitored. RESULTS Patients of group A showed a significant improvement (p < 0.001) of renal function valued by creatinine rate compared with the results obtained in group B. The probability of survival was higher in the group A (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Our results seem to confirm that the administration of terlipressin plus albumin improves renal function in patients with cirrhosis and type I hepatorenal syndrome and that a reversal of hepatorenal syndrome is strongly associated with an improved survival.