What is the treatment for acute kidney injury in patients with cirrhosis, as per the Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI) and International Club of Ascites (ICA) joint multidisciplinary consensus meeting?

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From the Guidelines

El tratamiento de la lesión renal aguda (AKI) en pacientes con cirrosis requiere un enfoque sistemático basado en la causa subyacente, y se recomienda iniciar con la expansión de volumen con albúmina (1 g/kg durante 48 horas) después de retirar los diuréticos y tratar los factores precipitantes. La terapia con vasoconstrictores es fundamental en el tratamiento de la síndrome hepatorrenal (HRS), con terlipressina (0,5-2,0 mg i.v. cada 6 horas o infusión continua de 2 g/24 h i.v.) como primera opción para pacientes con HRS-AKI estadio 2 o superior 1. La norepinefrina puede ser utilizada como alternativa a la terlipressina en pacientes con HRS-AKI y puede ser preferida en pacientes con shock.

Enfoque Terapéutico

  • Identificar y tratar los factores precipitantes como infecciones, hemorragia gastrointestinal o medicamentos nefrotóxicos.
  • Expansión de volumen con albúmina (1 g/kg durante 48 horas) para todos los pacientes con AKI, particularmente aquellos con sospecha de HRS.
  • Terapia con vasoconstrictores para HRS-AKI, con terlipressina más albúmina como tratamiento de primera línea.
  • Norepinefrina con albúmina como alternativa cuando la terlipressina no esté disponible.
  • La terapia de reemplazo renal (RRT) puede ser necesaria para pacientes con AKI refractaria, particularmente como puente para el trasplante de hígado, que sigue siendo el tratamiento definitivo para pacientes con cirrosis y disfunción renal severa 1.

Consideraciones Clínicas

  • La decisión de iniciar RRT debe individualizarse y considerar la respuesta a la terapia farmacológica y la candidatura para trasplante de hígado.
  • La monitorización estrecha de la función renal y la respuesta al tratamiento es crucial para ajustar la terapia según sea necesario.
  • El trasplante de hígado es el tratamiento definitivo para la HRS-AKI en cirrosis, pero debe considerarse en el contexto de la falla multiorgánica y la candidatura general para trasplante de hígado 1.

From the FDA Drug Label

The efficacy of TERLIVAZ was assessed in a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study (CONFIRM) (NCT02770716). Patients with cirrhosis, ascites, and a diagnosis of HRS-1 with a rapidly progressive worsening in renal function to a serum creatinine (SCr) ≥2. 25 mg/dL and meeting a trajectory for SCr to double over two weeks, and without sustained improvement in renal function (<20% decrease in SCr and SCr ≥2. 25 mg/dL) 48 hours after both diuretic withdrawal and the beginning of plasma volume expansion with albumin were eligible to participate.

A greater proportion of patients achieved Verified HRS Reversal in the TERLIVAZ arm compared to the placebo arm (Table 2).

Table 2: Efficacy Analyses TERLIVAZ N = 199 Placebo N = 101 P value CI = confidence interval

  • Primary endpoint † Patients with a SCr value of not more than 1. 5 mg/dL while on treatment, by Day 14, or discharge. ‡ Patients with HRS Reversal without renal replacement therapy to Day 30. Verified HRS Reversal*, n (%) 58 (29.1) 16 (15.8) 0.012 95% CI (0.2,0.4) (0.1,0.2)

The treatment of Acute Kidney Injury in patients with cirrhosis using terlipressin (IV), as studied in the CONFIRM trial 2, shows that a greater proportion of patients achieved Verified HRS Reversal in the TERLIVAZ arm compared to the placebo arm.

  • The primary endpoint, Verified HRS Reversal, was achieved by 29.1% of patients in the TERLIVAZ arm and 15.8% in the placebo arm.
  • Key findings include:
    • Verified HRS Reversal: 58 patients (29.1%) in the TERLIVAZ arm and 16 patients (15.8%) in the placebo arm.
    • Durability of HRS Reversal: 63 patients (31.7%) in the TERLIVAZ arm and 16 patients (15.8%) in the placebo arm. The use of terlipressin (IV) may be beneficial in the treatment of Acute Kidney Injury in patients with cirrhosis, as evidenced by the results of the CONFIRM trial 2.

From the Research

Tratamiento de la Lesión Renal Aguda en Pacientes con Cirrosis

  • El tratamiento de la lesión renal aguda (LRA) en pacientes con cirrosis es un tema complejo que requiere una evaluación cuidadosa de las causas subyacentes y la implementación de intervenciones terapéuticas dirigidas 3.
  • La terlipresina es un vasoconstrictor sintético que se utiliza comúnmente en el tratamiento de la síndrome hepatorrenal (SHR) tipo 1, una forma de LRA funcional y potencialmente reversible en pacientes con cirrosis y ascites 4, 5, 6.
  • La terlipresina más albúmina es más efectiva que la albúmina sola en mejorar la función renal en pacientes con cirrosis y SHR tipo 1 6.
  • La respuesta a la terlipresina se asocia con una mejor supervivencia tras el trasplante hepático y una reducción en la necesidad de terapia de reemplazo renal pre y post-trasplante 4.

Causas de la Lesión Renal Aguda en Pacientes con Cirrosis

  • La LRA en pacientes con cirrosis puede ser causada por various factores, incluyendo:
  • Azotemia prerenal (volume-responsiva) 3, 7
  • Necrosis tubular aguda 3, 7
  • Síndrome hepatorrenal (SHR) tipo 1 y tipo 2 3, 5, 7
  • Otras causas menos comunes, como el síndrome de compartimiento abdominal, procesos cardiorrenales relacionados con la cardiomiopatía cirrótica y la hipertensión portopulmonar, y la nefropatía colemica 3

Evaluación y Manejo de la Lesión Renal Aguda en Pacientes con Cirrosis

  • La evaluación de la LRA en pacientes con cirrosis requiere una consideración cuidadosa de los factores patogénicos subyacentes y la implementación de intervenciones terapéuticas dirigidas 3.
  • El manejo de la LRA en pacientes con cirrosis debe ser personalizado y basado en la causa subyacente, y puede incluir:
  • Resucitación con albúmina en la azotemia prerenal 3, 7
  • Cuidados de apoyo y retiro del agente ofensivo en la necrosis tubular aguda y la nefritis intersticial aguda 3
  • Terapia con vasoconstrictores en el SHR tipo 1 4, 5, 6
  • Trasplante hepático en pacientes con LRA refractaria o en aquellos que no responden a la terapia médica 4, 7

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Research

Acute Kidney Injury in Patients with Liver Disease.

Clinical journal of the American Society of Nephrology : CJASN, 2022

Research

Terlipressin therapy for renal failure in cirrhosis.

European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology, 2010

Research

Acute kidney injury in cirrhosis.

Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 2008

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This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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