Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: Immune-inflammatory and Metabolic Effects of High Dose Furosemide Plus Hypertonic Saline Solution (HSS) Treatment in Cirrhotic Subjects With Refractory Ascite
Brief Summary:
Introduction: Patients with chronic liver diseases are usually thin as a result of hypermetabolism and malnutrition expressed by reduced levels of leptin and impairment of other adyponectins such as visfatin.
Aims: To evaluate the metabolic and inflammatory effects of intravenous high-dose furosemide plus hypertonic saline solutions (HSS) compared with repeated paracentesis and a standard oral diuretic schedule, in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites.
Methods; All consecutive cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites unresponsive to outpatient treatment will be enrolled . Enrolled subjects will be randomized to treatment with intravenous infusion of furosemide (125-250mg⁄bid) plus small volumes of HSS from the first day after admission until 3 days before discharge (Group A ), or repeated paracentesis from the first day after admission until 3 days before discharge (Group B, ).
Plasma levels of ANP, BNP, Leptin, visfatin, IL-1β, TNF-a, IL-6 were measured before and after the two type of treatment.