Benefit of cystatin C in evaluation of renal function and prediction of survival in patients with cirrhosis.

Aim: The assessment of renal function is of vital importance in management of patients with cirrhosis. While serum creatinine (Cr) is routinely used for this purpose, Cr-based estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) does not reflect true renal function because of muscle wasting and impaired liver function. By contrast, cystatin C (CysC) is unrelated to muscle volume and liver function.

Proton pump inhibitor use is associated with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Objective: Accumulating evidence suggests that the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is associated with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in cirrhotic patients, although the results are inconsistent. We aimed to examine whether PPI use is associated with SBP in Japan, where the administration of PPIs is strictly regulated.

Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we reviewed 65 patients with liver cirrhosis who were admitted between January 2008 and January 2013 due to ascites.