The effect of diuretic treatment on red cell and plasma sodium concentration in patients with hepatic cirrhosis and ascites.
The sodium content of red cells and plasma in some cirrhotic patients with ascites has been measured, before, during and after diuretic treatment. The results were compared with those found in 37 normal subjects and 42 untreated cirrhotic patients with ascites. In the 10 cirrhotic patients with ascites studied, the mean sodium content in erythrocytes before diuretic treatment was 9.95 (+1- SD 3.27) mEQ/kg, 27.15 (+/- SD 5.60) mEq/kg of dry weight and 15.02 (+/- SD 2.70) mEq/kg of red cell water. During diuretic treatment, the mean sodium content in red cells was significantly decreased to 6.27 (+/- SD 1.46) mEq/kg; 18.85 (+/- SD 4.36) mEq/kg of dry weight and 10.15 (+/- SD 2.41) mEq/kg of red blood cell water (P less than 0.01, P less than 0.01, and P less than 0.02 respectively). The mean plasma sodium concentration which was 135.95 (+/- SD 4.14) mEq/kg before diuretic treatment was significantly decreased during treatment to 129.19 (+/- SD 2.77) mEq/kg, P less than 0.001. Once the ascites had disappeared and the diuretic treatment had been discontinued the sodium concentration in both plasma and red cells became normal. The radioactive 22Na exchange "in vitro" between plasma and red cells of cirrhotic patients with ascites remained unmodified during diuretic treatment.
D001201:Ascites / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D001834:Body Water / Q000032:analysis; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D010949:Plasma / Q000032:analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D004232:Diuretics; D012964:Sodium