A lithium clearance study of sodium reabsorption at the proximal tubule in liver cirrhosis with ascites.
Since the reabsorption of lithium occurs almost exclusively in the proximal tubule and is associated with that of sodium, the fractional excretion of lithium (FELit) ws examined in 18 patients with cirrhosis in order to examine the reabsorption rate of sodium at the proximal tubule. As expected, the fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) was significantly lower in cirrhotic patients with ascites (0.43 +/- 0.10%, mean +/- SEM) than in cirrhotic patients without ascites (0.75 +/- 0.14%, P less than 0.05) and healthy controls (0.82 +/- 0.17%, P less than 0.05). By contrast, there was no significant difference in FELit among cirrhotic patients with ascites (16.7 +/- 2.0%), cirrhotic patients without ascites (15.4 +/- 2.0%) and controls (17.4 +/- 1.5%). It is unlikely, therefore, that in cirrhotic patients with ascites, the impaired sodium excretion is solely caused by the abnormal sodium reabsorption capacity of the proximal tubule.
Hattori
K
K
Second Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Medical & Dental University School of Medicine, Japan.
Yauchi
T
T
Minato
Y
Y
Hasumura
Y
Y
Takeuchi
J
J
Shiigai
T
T
D000042:Absorption; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007687:Kidney Tubules, Proximal / Q000378:metabolism*; D008094:Lithium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009318:Natriuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D012016:Reference Values; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D005665:Furosemide; D008094:Lithium; D012964:Sodium; D003404:Creatinine