Terlipressin and albumin for type 1 hepatorenal syndrome: does bacterial infection affect the response?

Vasoconstrictor therapy with terlipressin and concomitant albumin can improve renal function in patients with hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) type 1, but the efficacy of therapy in patients with active infection is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy, adverse effects, and predictors of terlipressin therapy and to find out whether there was a difference in response rates between the patients with or without active infections. Data of 58 patients with type 1 HRS treated with terlipressin and albumin were retrospectively evaluated. Twenty-six patients (44.8 %) showed complete response to treatment. Response rates of patients with or without active bacterial infection were 47 and 43.9 %, respectively (p > 0.05). Only baseline serum creatinine level was significantly related to response in univariate/multivariate analyses (p < 0.05). Twenty-three patients (39.6 %) developed adverse effects probably related to treatment. In 8.6 % of patients, treatment was discontinued because of adverse effects of therapy. Four patients (6.9 %) developed ischemic adverse events, including nonfatal myocardial infarction, intestinal ischemia, and cutaneous necrosis. Terlipressin plus albumin therapy improved renal function in nearly half of patients with type 1 HRS. Thus, it seems a reasonable treatment for patients with active bacterial infections. Baseline serum creatinine level is a potential predictor of terlipressin response.