Abstract
The clinical course and autopsy findings of three patients with acute renal failure terminating the course of cirrhosis of the liver are presented. Review of the literature demonstrated that where decompensated cirrhosis is present the renal blood flow is characteristically low, although the total cardiac output is elevated. This circulatory disturbance results in the production of urine low in sodium, although normal in solute content. It also renders the kidney more vulnerable to further, sometimes minor, reductions in renal blood flow. As more patients with hepatic cirrhosis live through episodes of gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic coma, death in acute renal failure will undoubtedly become more common.
Full text
PDF
Images in this article
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- CHALMERS T. C. Pathogenesis and treatment of hepatic failure. N Engl J Med. 1960 Jul 7;263:23–30. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196007072630107. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- DAVIDSON D. G., LEVINSKY N. G., BERLINER R. W. Maintenance of potassium excretion despite reduction of glomerular filtration during sodium diuresis. J Clin Invest. 1958 Apr;37(4):548–555. doi: 10.1172/JCI103637. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Hill H. W. SMALLPOX AND CHICKEN-POX. Can Med Assoc J. 1914 Feb;4(2):115–127. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- LANCESTREMERE R. G., DAVIDSON P. L., EARLEY L. E., O'BRIEN F. J., PAPPER S. Renal failure in Laennec's cirrhosis. II. Simultaneous determination of cardiac output and renal hemodynamics. J Clin Invest. 1962 Oct;41:1922–1927. doi: 10.1172/JCI104649. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PAPPER S., BELSKY J. L., BLEIFER K. H. Renal failure in Laennec's cirrhosis of the liver. I. Description of clinical and laboratory features. Ann Intern Med. 1959 Oct;51:759–773. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-51-4-759. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- PAPPER S. The role of the kidney in Laennec's cirrhosis of the liver. Medicine (Baltimore) 1958 Dec;37(4):299–316. doi: 10.1097/00005792-195812000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]