[Update on hepatorenal syndrome]

The hepatorenal syndrome is a form of renal failure occurring in patients with advanced liver disease. The diagnosis is based both on the demonstration of low GFR and exclusion of other common causes of renal failure that may occur in patients with cirrhosis. Orthotopic liver transplantation remains the only curative treatment for this poor outcome disease; other modalities such as vasopressin analogues, transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt or renal replacement therapies may serve as a bridge to transplantation. This article reviews the pathophysiology, diagnosis and current treatment of hepatorenal syndrome.