doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.9033-17 Intern Med Advance Publication http://internmed.jp
【 ORIGINAL ARTICLE 】
The Outcome of Cirrhotic Patients with Ascites is Improved by the Normalization of the Serum Sodium Level by Tolvaptan Tomomi Kogiso, Mutsuki Kobayashi, Kuniko Yamamoto, Yuichi Ikarashi, Kazuhisa Kodama, Makiko Taniai, Nobuyuki Torii, Etsuko Hashimoto and Katsutoshi Tokushige
Abstract: Objectives Hyponatremia is frequently observed in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis and it is also related to a poor prognosis. The vasopressin V2-receptor antagonist tolvaptan is used to treat cirrhotic patients with ascites and increases the serum sodium (Na) level. In this study, we investigated (i) whether or not correction of the Na level improves the prognosis of cirrhotic patients with ascites and (ii) predictors of normalization of the serum Na level after tolvaptan therapy. Methods This was a single-center retrospective study. A total of 95 Japanese cirrhotic patients (60 men, median age 63 years) were enrolled and received tolvaptan orally after hospitalization for ascites treatment. The serum Na level was monitored during the period of tolvaptan treatment. The laboratory data and survival rates of patients who achieved serum Na levels of
