Causes of renal failure in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and its impact in hospital mortality.

Background: Renal failure (RF) is reported to occur in 11-49% of the patients with decompensated end-stage liver disease (ESLD) and has been associated with increased mortality, particularly in the occurrence of hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) type 1.

Aims: To evaluate the frequency and outcome of RF in patients admitted to the hospital due to decompensated ESLD and to assess the impact of the underlying cause of RF on survival.

Material And Methods: Four hundred and six patients (65% males, mean age 62 ± 12 years) with decompensated ESLD were evaluated for the occurrence of RF (defined as serum creatinine ³ 1.

Poor outcomes with treatment of hepatorenal syndrome type 1 with splanchnic vasoconstrictors and albumin: report of seven cases and review of the literature.

Context: Treatment of hepatorenal syndrome type 1 (HRS-1) with splanchnic vasoconstrictors and high-dose albumin has been associated with reversal of renal failure in approximately 60% to 80% of the cases in pilot or uncontrolled studies.

Objective: To evaluate the results of treatment of HRS-1 with terlipressin and high-dose albumin.

Methods: All patients with HRS-1 that underwent treatment with terlipressin and high-dose albumin at our unit were retrospectively reviewed.