[New approaches in the pathogenesis of renal insufficiency in cirrhosis]

I. Renal failure is a common complication of advanced cirrhosis and its occurrence is of clinical relevance. II. Often the renal failure is characterised by intact tubular structure and function, the pathogenesis of which appears to be a renal vasoconstriction. III. There is a lot of evidence against the view that the renal vasoconstriction is secondary to pooling of blood in the splanchnic circulation. IV. A lot of evidence suggest that it is due to circulating endotoxins.