title: The cardiorenal link in advanced cirrhosis.
abstract: A considerable number of patients with advanced cirrhosis develop a hepatorenal syndrome. The pathogenesis involves liver dysfunction, splanchnic vasodilatation, and activation of vasoconstrictive systems. There are now several observations that indicate a relation between the renal failure and impaired cardiac function in patients with advanced cirrhosis. Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy has been described as a condition with impaired contractile responsiveness to stress and altered diastolic relaxation. We propose a cardiorenal interaction in patients with advanced cirrhosis and renal dysfunction that refers to a condition where cardiac dysfunction in cirrhosis is a major determinant of kidney function and survival. Thus, the relation between cardiac dysfunction and renal insufficiency should be target for future studies and development of new treatments should focus on ameliorating the cardiac dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Gastroenterology, Hvidovre Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. aleksanderkrag@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krag
authors.forename: Flemming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bendtsen
authors.forename: Andrew K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Burroughs
authors.forename: Søren
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Møller
mesh_terms: D005355:Fibrosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008962:Models, Theoretical