title: Renin, aldosterone and arginine vasopressin in patients with liver cirrhosis: the influence of ascites retransfusion.
abstract: Plasma renin activity (PRA), and concentrations of aldosterone (PAL) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) in plasma were determined in 15 patients with ascites due to cirrhosis. The concentrations in ascites were analyzed simultaneously. Six patients were studied during extracorporeal ascites retransfusion. All but one patient with ascites showed elevated PAL (642 +/- 255 pg ml-1) and PRA (43 +/- 26 ng ml-1 h-1); all had increased AVP (7.3 +/- 5.1 pg ml-1). A low ascites to plasma ratio was found for aldosterone (0.023 +/- 0.023), but not for AVP (0.71 +/- 0.82). Retransfusion resulted in a normalization of central venous pressure (CVP), urinary volume, sodium/potassium ratio in urine, PAL and PRA, but not of AVP, serum sodium concentration and urinary sodium excretion. PRA and PAL increased again after cessation of treatment, while urinary output, CVP and sodium/potassium ratio in urine decreased. The results support the 'underfilling' concept, but give evidence that, in addition, other factors must be involved in the impaired natriuresis in cirrhotic patients. They further support the concept of volume expansion and increased renal perfusion as reason for the therapeutic efficacy of ascites retransfusion. Previous diuretic treatment seems not to be of importance for altered hormone metabolism in liver cirrhosis. Storage in a third compartment may be a factor in the persistently elevated AVP levels.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood*; D001201:Ascites / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin