Factors determining renal response to water immersion in non-excretor cirrhotic patients

Abstract

Non-excretor cirrhotic patients, defined by their inability to normally excrete a standard water load, display variable responses to head-out water immersion. The hemodynamic, hormonal, and renal fucntional status of fifteen such patients were analyzed relative to water excretion during head-out water immersion. Group 1 patients (N = 7) all excreted less than 40% of the water load during immersion, whereas excretion was greater than 40% in all eight patients in Group 2. Group 1 patients, when compared with Group 2, had more ascites, more diuretic resistance, lower serum sodium concentration (125 ± 2 vs. 130 ± 1 mEq/liter, P < 0.05), and more impaired baseline water excretion (12.9 ± 1.2 vs. ..