A Multi-Center, Open Label, Collaborative Research Study to Treat HRS-AKI Patients With Continuous Terlipressin Infusion
Hepatorenal syndrome-acute kidney injury (HRS-AKI), a potentially reversible renal failure, is a serious, rapidly progressing, often fatal, complication of decompensated cirrhosis. Terlipressin is a synthetic vasopressin analogue that acts as a systemic vasoconstrictor via the vascular vasopressin V1 receptors. In HRS-AKI patients the strong V1 receptor-mediated vasoconstrictor activity of terlipressin, particularly in the splanchnic area, increases effective intravascular volume and mean arterial pressure (MAP), ameliorates renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity, and improves renal blood flow. The INFUSE trial will evaluate the use of continuous terlipressin infusion in patients on the liver transplant waiting list with HRS-AKI.
• Written informed consent by subject or legally authorized representative.
• At least 18 years of age.
• Cirrhosis and ascites.
• No sustained improvement in renal function (less than 20% decrease in SCr) at least 48 hours after diuretic withdrawal and after plasma volume expansion with albumin (given daily for two days - 48 hours minimum from 1st dose). If SCr improves by ≥ 20 % but plateaus ( ≤ 10 % fluctuation in sCr) and remains above 1.5 mg/dl for ≥another 48 hrs and there are no features of acute tubular necrosis.
• Increase in SCr by at least ≥ 0.3 mg/dl OR 1.5-2 fold above baseline (AKI stage 1 and above), to a SCr of ≥ 1.5 mg/dl at the time of initiating treatment. Baseline SCr is defined as the most recent, lowest SCr within last 6 months before date of current admission.
• A.On liver transplant wait list or liver transplant eligible with anticipation of being placed on the liver transplant wait list. B. Patients not on the transplant waitlist or transplant eligible are also eligible for the trial ( maximum 25 subjects) -