Albumin and Furosemide Infusions for Hepatorenal Syndrome

This protocol showed promise in a small study, but large randomized trials are needed.

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a lethal complication of end-stage liver disease, with a mean survival time of 1.7 weeks from diagnosis. Currently, liver transplantation is the only effective treatment, but it often is not available. The aim of these researchers was to evaluate the efficacy of albumin (for volume expansion) and furosemide (for maintaining urine output) infusions, tailored to central venous pressure (CVP), in HRS patients.

Twenty consecutive patients with HRS were identified at a French medical center from 1997 to 2000 and were enrolled in an uncontrolled prospective study. The cohort consisted of 16 men and 4 women; 13 patients had HRS type 1, and 7 had HRS type 2; and 14 patients had alcoholic cirrhosis. Intravenous albumin w…

Reviewing Author

Atif Zaman, MD, MPH