Co-administration of furosemide with albumin for overcoming diuretic resistance in patients with hypoalbuminemia: a meta-analysis

Hypoalbuminaemia and heart failure: A practical review of current evidence

Hypoalbuminaemia (serum albumin levels ≤3.5 g/dl) is associated with poor outcomes among patients with heart failure (HF). This narrative review includes original articles and reviews published over the past 20 years and retrieved from PubMed using the following search terms (or their combination): 'heart failure', 'hypoalbuminaemia', 'heart failure with reduced ejection fraction', 'heart failure with preserved ejection fraction', 'all-cause mortality', 'in-hospital mortality', 'hospitalization', 'prognosis'. The aims of this review are to provide an overview on the prevalence of hypoalbuminaemia in HF, its impact on clinical outcomes, and potential mechanisms that may suggest future therapeutic strategies. Hypoalbuminaemia is frequent in HF patients, especially among the elderly. However, data about the exact epidemiology of hypoalbuminaemia are scant due to different definitions, and prevalence is estimated between 5% and 70% across the whole spectrum of ejection fraction. Current evidence points to hypoalbuminaemia as a marker of poor outcomes in HF, irrespective of the ejection fraction, and in other cardiovascular diseases. Among patients who suffered from acute coronary syndrome, those with hypoalbuminaemia had an increased risk of new-onset HF and in-hospital mortality. Albumin, however, might also play a role in the natural history of such diseases due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombotic properties. Whether albumin supplementation or nutritional support in general would be beneficial in improving clinical outcomes in HF is not completely clear and should be evaluated in adequately designed studies.

Contemporary Decongestive Strategies in Acute Heart Failure

Congestion is the primary driver of hospital admissions in patients with heart failure and the key determinant of their outcome. Although intravenous loop diuretics remain the predominant agents used in the setting of acute heart failure, the therapeutic response is known to be variable, with a significant subset of patients discharged from the hospital with residual hypervolemia. In this context, urinary sodium excretion has gained attention both as a marker of response to loop diuretics and as a marker of prognosis that may be a useful clinical tool to guide therapy. Several decongestive strategies have been explored to improve diuretic responsiveness and removal of excess fluid. Sequential nephron blockade through combination diuretic therapy is one of the most used methods to enhance natriuresis and counter diuretic resistance. In this article, I provide an overview of the contemporary decongestive approaches and discuss the clinical data on the use of add-on diuretic therapy. I also discuss mechanical removal of excess fluid through extracorporeal ultrafiltration with a brief review of the results of landmark studies. Finally, I provide a short overview of the strategies that are currently under investigation and may prove helpful in this setting.

Use of Intravenous Albumin: A Guideline From the International Collaboration for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines

BACKGROUND

Albumin is used commonly across a wide range of clinical settings to improve hemodynamics, to facilitate fluid removal, and to manage complications of cirrhosis. The International Collaboration for Transfusion Medicine Guidelines developed guidelines for the use of albumin in patients requiring critical care, undergoing cardiovascular surgery, undergoing kidney replacement therapy, or experiencing complications of cirrhosis.

METHODS

Cochairs oversaw the guideline development process and the panel included researchers, clinicians, methodologists, and a patient representative. The evidence informing this guideline arises from a systematic review of randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews, in which multiple databases were searched (inception through November 23, 2022). The panel reviewed the data and formulated the guideline recommendations using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology. The guidelines were revised after public consultation.

RESULTS

The panel made 14 recommendations on albumin use in adult critical care (three recommendations), pediatric critical care (one recommendation), neonatal critical care (two recommendations), cardiovascular surgery (two recommendations), kidney replacement therapy (one recommendation), and complications of cirrhosis (five recommendations). Of the 14 recommendations, two recommendations had moderate certainty of evidence, five recommendations had low certainty of evidence, and seven recommendations had very low certainty of evidence. Two of the 14 recommendations suggested conditional use of albumin for patients with cirrhosis undergoing large-volume paracentesis or with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. Twelve of 14 recommendations did not suggest albumin use in a wide variety of clinical situations where albumin commonly is transfused.

CONCLUSIONS

Currently, few evidence-based indications support the routine use of albumin in clinical practice to improve patient outcomes. These guidelines provide clinicians with actionable recommendations on the use of albumin.

Diuretic resistance and the role of albumin in congestive heart failure

Diuresis with loop diuretics is the mainstay treatment for volume optimization in patients with congestive heart failure, in which perfusion and volume expansion play a crucial role. There are robust guidelines with extensive evidence for the management of heart failure; however, clear guidance is needed for patients who do not respond to standard diuretic treatment. Diuretic resistance (DR) can be defined as an insufficient quantity of natriuresis with proper diuretic therapy. A combination of diuretic regimens is used to overcome DR and, more recently, SGLT2 inhibitors have been shown to improve diuresis. Despite DR being relatively common, it is challenging to treat and there remains a notable lack of substantial data guiding its management. Moreover, DR has been linked with poor prognosis. This review aims to expose the multiple approaches for treatment of patients with DR and the importance of intravascular volume expansion in the response to therapy.

[Mechanisms of action and clinical application of diuretics in intensive care medicine]

The paired kidneys play a significant role in the human body due to the multitude of physiological tasks. Complex biochemical processes keep the sensitive electrolyte and water balance stable and thus ensure the organism's ability to adapt to exogenous and endogenous factors, which is essential for survival. The drug class of diuretics includes substances with very differing pharmacological characteristics. The functioning of the nephron is therefore indispensable for a deeper understanding of the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and side effect profile of diuretics. In the treatment of acute heart failure with pulmonary congestion, certain diuretics represent an important therapeutic option to counteract hypervolemia and thus an increase in preload. According to current data, diuretics have no proven benefits in the treatment or prevention of acute kidney injury but they can counteract hypervolemia and under certain conditions even reduce the use of renal replacement procedures.

Etiology and Management of Edema: A Review

The development of peripheral edema can often pose a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for practitioners due to its association with a wide variety of underlying disorders ranging in severity. Updates to the original Starling's principle have provided new mechanistic insights into edema formation. Additionally, contemporary data highlighting the role of hypochloremia in the development of diuretic resistance provide a possible new therapeutic target. This article reviews the pathophysiology of edema formation and discusses implications for treatment.

Co-Administration of Albumin and Furosemide in Acute Heart Failure with Diuretics Resistance

Acute heart failure is a frequent cause of hospital admission in Portugal, and has an increasing tendency given the aging population. Although most admissions for acute heart failure are caused by congestive conditions, not all patients have a congestive phenotype, reflecting the complexity of a process with multiple pathophysiological pathways. The use of diuretics, usually loop diuretics, is the mainstay of treatment for congestion. However, many patients develop resistance, thus constituting a challenge with no consensual solution to date, despite extensive debate over the years. Despite its frequent use in clinical practice, the co-administration of albumin and furosemide remains controversial in the management of patients with acute heart failure, hypoalbuminemia, and diuretic resistance. This review addresses the pathophysiological mechanisms of congestion in patients with acute heart failure and explores the theoretical basis that supports the co-administration of albumin and furosemide in this clinical context. It is intended to clarify the potential benefit of the combined approach in this specific population and identify possible gaps in the literature that could be the subject of future studies.

Hypoalbuminemia and colorectal cancer patients: Any correlation?: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

In malnourished patients with colorectal cancer, hypoalbuminemia is common and was proposed to determine the postoperative outcome of colorectal surgery. Mounting articles published but have not been evaluated. We aim to assess the predictive value of preoperative hypoalbuminemia in patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

METHODS

We performed a literature search from PubMed, Euro PMC, and Cochrane with the terms serum albumin, hypoalbuminemia, prognosis, outcome, colorectal cancer, and neoplasm. We also hand-searched and included any relevant papers. Hypoalbuminemia is defined as plasma albumin level < 3.5 mg/dL. We restricted the included studies to English language and adults undergoing colectomy, laparotomy, laparoscopy, or abdominoperineal resection. Any types of articles were included, except an abstract-only publication and those that did not report the key exposure or outcome of interest. The key exposures were mortality, hospitalization time, and morbid conditions (thrombosis, surgical site infection, sepsis, and wound events). We pooled the odds ratio from each included literature as effect size. The Newcastle Ottawa scale and GRADE were used to determine the quality of each included study.

RESULTS

Hereof 7 observational studies (236,480 individuals) were included. Our meta-analysis found that preoperative hypoalbuminemia can predict the postoperative outcome in colorectal cancer patients. Individuals with hypoalbuminemia were not associated with 30-day mortality (risk ratio [RR] 2.05 [0.72, 5.86], P = .18, I2 = 99%) but were associated with morbidity (RR 2.28 [1.78, 2.93], P < .00001, I2 = 87.5%), surgical complication (RR 1.69 [1.34, 2.13], P < .00001, I2 = 98%), and hospitalization (RR 2.21 [1.93, 2.52], P < .00001, I2 = 0%). According to newcastle ottawa scale, the included studies are of moderate to sound quality.

CONCLUSIONS

The current systematic review and meta-analysis showed that preoperative hypoalbuminemia was significantly associated with morbidity, length of stay, and surgical complication but not mortality.

Diuretics and Ultrafiltration in Heart Failure

Fluid overload is a risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with heart disease. The treatment options are limited to diuretics and mechanical fluid removal using ultrafiltration or renal replacement therapy. This paper provides an overview of the challenges of managing fluid overload, outlines the risks and benefits of different pharmacological options and extracorporeal techniques, and provides guidance for clinical practice.

THE EFFECTS OF EARLY-PHASE FUROSEMIDE USE ON THE PROGRESSION OF OLIGURIC ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY ACROSS DIFFERENT CENTRAL VENOUS PRESSURE: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS

ABSTRACT

Background: Furosemide is a commonly used loop diuretic in critical care. However, its effect on the progression of oliguric acute kidney injury across different central venous pressure (CVP) remains unknown. This study therefore aims to investigate the association between furosemide 6-12h (defined as the use of furosemide within 6 h after the diagnosis of AKI according to the urine output [UO] criteria set by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes [KDIGO] guidelines) and the progression of AKI across different CVP 6-12h (defined as CVP within 6 h after the diagnosis of AKI by the KDIGO UO criteria) levels. Methods: Patients involved in this study were identified from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV database with the following criteria: (i) adults with UO <0.5 mL/kg per hour for the first 6 h upon admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) (meeting stage 1 AKI by UO) and (ii) CVP 6-12h ranging from 0 to 30 mm Hg. From there on, the target primary outcome would be progression to stage 3 AKI by UO among these chosen patients. The secondary outcome was 28-d mortality since ICU admission. The risks of severe-stage AKI progression and 28-d mortality were respectively examined against furosemide 6-12h (vs. without furosemide 6-12h ) within the full cohort and across different subgroups of CVP 6-12h , using multivariate adjusted logistic regression and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW). Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of our findings. Results: One thousand one hundred eighty patients were ultimately selected for this study, of whom 643 (54.5%) progressed to stage 3 AKI from stage 1 based on the UO criteria by KDIGO. Multivariate analysis showed that furosemide 6-12h is significantly associated with this severe-stage progression within the full cohort (odds ratio [OR] was 0.62 at 95% confidence interval [CI] of 0.43-0.90, P = 0.011). After dividing the patients into CVP 6-12h subgroups according to their CVP during the early phases, lower risk of AKI progression was observed only in furosemide 6-12h application at CVP 6-12h of ≥12 mm Hg (adjusted OR was 0.40 at 95% CI of 0.25-0.65, P < 0.001), as confirmed by the IPTW analysis (OR was 0.47 at 95% CI of 0.29-0.76, P = 0.002). The robustness of these findings was confirmed by sensitivity analyses. In addition, for patients with CVP 6-12h ≥12 mm Hg, furosemide 6-12h is also significantly associated with lower risk of 28-d mortality (adjusted OR was 0.47 at 95% CI of 0.25-0.92, P = 0.026) in the multivariate logistic regression analysis, and there was a similar trend in the IPTW analysis (adjusted OR was 0.55 at 95% CI of 0.28-1.10, P = 0.092). Conclusions: Among the identified early-stage AKI patients in critical care, the use of furosemide was associated only with lower risk of oliguric AKI progression and 28-d mortality within the high CVP group. These findings suggest the potential of CVP as a guidance or reference point in the usage of furosemide among early-stage oliguric AKI patients in the ICU.

Impact of Albumin Binding Function on Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Furosemide

Background and Objectives: Albumin binding of the loop diuretic furosemide forms the basis for its transport to the kidney and subsequent tubular secretion, which is a prerequisite for its therapeutic effects. Accordingly, high albumin concentrations should result in higher efficacy of furosemide. However, study results on the combination of furosemide in conjunction with albumin, and on the efficacy of furosemide in hypoalbuminemia, did not confirm this hypothesis. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of furosemide not only in relation to albumin concentration, but also taking albumin function into account. Materials and Methods: In a prospective and non-interventional clinical observational trial, blood and urine samples from 50 intensive care patients receiving continuous intravenous furosemide therapy were evaluated. Albumin binding capacity (ABiC) determination allowed conclusions to be drawn about the binding site-specific loading state of albumin, by quantifying the unbound fraction of the fluorescent marker dansylsarcosine. In addition, assessment of the total concentration of furosemide in plasma and urine, as well as the concentration of free furosemide fraction in plasma, was performed by HPLC−MS. The efficacy of furosemide was evaluated by the ratio of urine excretion to fluid intake. Results: In patients with an ABiC ≥ 60% free furosemide fraction was significantly lower compared to patients with a lower ABiC (p < 0.001), urinary furosemide concentration was higher (p = 0.136), and a significantly higher proportion of infused furosemide was excreted renally (p = 0.010). ABiC was positively correlated (r = 0.908, p = 0.017) with increase in the urine excretion to fluid input ratio after initiation of furosemide therapy. Conclusions: ABiC could serve as a marker for individual response to furosemide and could be used to generate patient-specific therapeutic regimens. In view of the relatively low number of patients in this study, the relationship between furosemide efficacy and albumin function should be investigated in larger studies in the future.

Furosemide and albumin for the treatment of nephrotic edema: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Edema is one of the cardinal clinical features of nephrotic syndrome (NS). It may vary from mild periorbital edema to severe generalized edema (anasarca). In patients where edema does not improve with prednisone therapy, the most common supportive medications are diuretics and albumin. However, due to the complex pathophysiology of edema formation in NS patients resulting in intravascular normovolemia or hypovolemia, optimal therapy for edema is still debated. We conducted a systematic review with the objective of evaluating the change in urine volume and urine sodium excretion after treatment with furosemide only versus furosemide with albumin in edematous patients with NS.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To evaluate efficacy of furosemide alone versus furosemide with albumin in the treatment of nephrotic edema in adults and children. (2) To compare the harms and benefits of different doses of furosemide for treating nephrotic edema.

SEARCH METHODS

The search included all randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials in English and French using MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL Trials Registry of the Cochrane Collaboration using the Ovid interface.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were also searched.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included all RCTs and randomized cross-over studies in which furosemide and furosemide plus albumin are used in the treatment of children or adults with nephrotic edema. We excluded patients with hypoalbuminemia of non-renal origin and severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) with a glomerular filtration rate below 30 ml/min/1.74 m2 and patients with congenital NS.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

All abstracts were independently assessed by at least two authors to determine which studies met the inclusion criteria. Information on study design, methodology, and outcome data (urine volume, urine sodium excretion, adverse effects) from each identified study was entered into a separate data sheet. The differences in outcomes between the types of therapy were expressed as standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

The search yielded 525 records, and after screening, five studies were included in the systematic review and four of those studies in the meta-analysis. One study had high risk of bias and the remaining three studies were deemed to have some concerns. Urine excretion was greater after treatment with furosemide and albumin versus furosemide (SMD 0.85, 95% CI = 0.33 to 1.38). Results for sodium excretion were inconclusive (SMD 0.37, 95%CI =  - 0.28 to 1.02).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The current evidence is not sufficient to make definitive conclusions about the role of albumin in treating nephrotic edema. High-quality randomized studies with adequate samples sizes are needed. Including an assessment of intravascular volume status may be helpful.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospero: CRD4201808979. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO A higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information.

Venous Leg Compression for Tissue Decongestion in Patients With Worsening Congestive Heart Failure

Aims

Venous leg compression (VLC) with elastic bandages has been proposed as a potentially useful strategy for decreasing tissue congestion. We aimed to evaluate the effect of VLC on short-term changes on intravascular refill, assessed by inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter in patients with worsening heart failure (WHF) requiring parenteral furosemide. Additionally, we sought to evaluate whether early changes in IVC were related to short-term decongestion.

Methods

This is a prospective study in which we included 20 consecutive ambulatory patients with WHF treated with subcutaneous furosemide and VLC for at least 72 h. The endpoints were (a) short-term changes in IVC, (b) the association between decongestion and 3-h IVC changes following VLC. Changes in continuous endpoints and their longitudinal trajectories were estimated with linear mixed regression models. All analyses were adjusted for multiple comparisons.

Results

Following administration of subcutaneous furosemide and VLC, we found a significant increase in 3-h IVC diameter (ΔIVC = 1.6 mm, CI 95%: 0.7–2.5; p &lt; 0.001), with a greater increase in those with baseline IVC≤21 mm (2.4 vs. 0.8 mm; p &lt; 0.001). 3-h intravascular refill (increase in IVC≥2 mm) was associated with greater decongestion (natriuresis, weight, peripheral edemas, and dyspnea) in those with baseline IVC≤21 mm but not when IVC&gt;21 mm (p &lt; 0.05 for all comparisons).

Conclusions

In this cohort of patients with congestive WHF treated with subcutaneous furosemide and VLC, we found a greater increase in short-term IVC in those with IVC ≤21 mm at baseline. In this subset of patients, a 3-h increase in IVC≥2 mm was associated with greater short-term decongestion.

Contemporary Drug Treatment of Advanced Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

The introduction of multiple new pharmacological agents over the past three decades in the field of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has led to reduced rates of mortality and hospitalizations, and consequently the prevalence of HFrEF has increased, and up to 10% of patients progress to more advanced stages, characterized by high rates of mortality, hospitalizations, and poor quality of life. Advanced HFrEF patients often show persistent or progressive signs of severe HF symptoms corresponding to New York Heart Association class III or IV despite being on optimal medical, surgical, and device therapies. However, a subpopulation of patients with advanced HF, those with the most advanced stages of disease, were often insufficiently represented in the major trials demonstrating efficacy and tolerability of the drugs used in HFrEF due to exclusion criteria such as low BP and kidney dysfunction. Consequently, the results of many landmark trials cannot necessarily be transferred to patients with the most advanced stages of HFrEF. Thus, the efficacy and tolerability of guideline-directed medical therapies in patients with the most advanced stages of HFrEF often remain unsettled, and this knowledge is of crucial importance in the planning and timing of consideration for referral for advanced therapies. This review discusses the evidence regarding the use of contemporary drugs in the advanced HFrEF population, covering components such as guideline HFrEF drugs, diuretics, inotropes, and the use of HFrEF drugs in LVAD recipients, and provides suggestions on how to manage guideline-directed therapy in this patient group.

Diuretic effect of co-administration of furosemide and albumin in comparison to furosemide therapy alone: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

It has been a matter of much debate whether the co-administration of furosemide and albumin can achieve better diuresis and natriuresis than furosemide treatment alone. There is inconsistency in published trials regarding the effect of this combination therapy. We, therefore, conducted this meta-analysis to explore the efficacy of furosemide and albumin co-administration and the factors potentially influencing the diuretic effect of such co-administration.

METHODS

In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases. Prospective studies with adult populations which comparing the effect of furosemide and albumin co-administration with furosemide alone were included. The outcomes including diuretic effect and natriuresis effect measured by hourly urine output and hourly urine sodium excretion from both groups were extracted. Random effect model was applied for conducting meta-analysis. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were performed to explore potential sources of heterogeneity of treatment effects.

RESULTS

By including 13 studies with 422 participants, the meta-analysis revealed that furosemide with albumin co-administration increased urine output by 31.45 ml/hour and increased urine excretion by 1.76 mEq/hour in comparison to furosemide treatment alone. The diuretic effect of albumin and furosemide co-administration was better in participants with low baseline serum albumin levels (< 2.5 g/dL) and high prescribed albumin infusion doses (> 30 g), and the effect was more significant within 12 hours after administration. Diuretic effect of co-administration was better in those with baseline Cr > 1.2 mg/dL and natriuresis effect of co-administration was better in those with baseline eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73m2.

CONCLUSION

Co-administration of furosemide with albumin might enhance diuresis and natriuresis effects than furosemide treatment alone but with high heterogeneity in treatment response. According to the present meta-analysis, combination therapy might provide advantages compared to the furosemide therapy alone in patients with baseline albumin levels lower than 2.5 g/dL or in patients receiving higher albumin infusion doses or in patients with impaired renal function. Owing to high heterogeneity and limited enrolled participants, further parallel randomized controlled trials are warranted to examine our outcome.

REGISTRATION

PROSEPRO ID: CRD42020211002; https://clinicaltrials.gov/.

Inpatient Diuretic Management of Acute Heart Failure: A Practical Review

The inpatient treatment of acute heart failure (AHF) is aimed at achieving euvolemia, relieving symptoms, and reducing rehospitalization. Adequate treatment of AHF is rooted in understanding the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of select diuretic agents used to achieve decongestion. While loop diuretics remain the primary treatment of AHF, the dosing strategies of loop diuretics and the use of adjunct diuretic classes to augment clinical response can be complex. This review examines the latest strategies for diuretic management in patients with AHF, including dosing and monitoring strategies, interaction of diuretics with other medication classes, use adjunctive therapies, and assessing endpoints for diuretic. The goal of the review is to guide the reader through commonly encountered clinical scenarios and pitfalls in the diuretic management of patients with AHF.

[Use of albumin : State of the art]

The Saline versus Albumin Fluid Evaluation (SAFE) study has demonstrated that the use of albumin as an infusion solution in volume therapy can be regarded as safe. An exception is hypo-oncotic albumin in traumatic brain injury. While clear indications of albumin exist for some patients with liver cirrhosis, large studies that demonstrate a clinically relevant advantage beyond hemodynamic effects and would therefore justify wider use in many other areas are still lacking. In large-volume paracentesis, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, but also in hepatorenal syndrome, use of albumin is recommended and established due to clinical benefit in randomized controlled trials. In septic shock, use of albumin may be considered, with two large studies addressing this issue in Germany and Italy being still in the recruitment phase. For volume therapy, albumin can be used primarily when other measures for hemodynamic stabilization have been exhausted. This applies to volume resuscitation in hypovolemia as well as in conservative fluid management in the so-called "de-resuscitation" phase. The extent to which the correction of severe hypoalbuminemia with exogenous albumin can improve the impaired outcome of these patients is also part of ongoing studies. On the way to a more individualized medicine, hypoalbuminemia may serve as a parameter in future decision making for or against the use of albumin in volume therapy.

["Intravascular space contracted-tissue space expanded": interstitial edema and fluid management in intensive care medicine]

In the second phase of shock therapy, we regularly find fluid overload with edema in our patients, which not only involves the skin and interstitial tissue but can also impair kidney, liver and pulmonary function. Revision of the Starling principle and new insights into physiology of the endothelial glycocalyx have important implications for fluid therapy in intensive care medicine. Determination of fluid overload and an appropriate therapy with either diuretics or ultrafiltration are the focus of "late goal-directed fluid removal" management.

Diuretic strategies in patients with resistance to loop-diuretics in the intensive care unit: A retrospective study from the MIMIC-III database

PURPOSE

To investigate various diuretic strategies to alleviate loop-diuretics resistance in critically ill patients.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

ICU adults requiring more than 1 mg/kg/day of furosemide, from the MIMIC-III database. Four diuretic strategies were investigated: incremental dose of loop diuretics, continuous infusion, combinations with a second class of diuretics and administration of intravenous albumin. A generalized estimating equation was used to investigate the associations between these strategies and endpoints. The primary outcome was the 24-h urine output and secondary endpoints included fluid balance, weight change, electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities, kidney replacement therapy initiation, and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 7645 ICU stays from 6358 patients were included. After adjustment, the use of continuous loop-diuretic infusion was associated with a higher 24-h urine output (β: 732, 95% CI:669-795, p < 0.001), lower 24-h fluid balance (p < 0.001) and greater weight loss at 48-h (p < 0.001). Thiazide- and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor combinations were both associated with higher urine output (p < 0.001) and weight loss at 48-h (p < 0.01), while intravenous albumin was associated with fluid gain (p < 0.001). Risks of electrolyte and metabolic disturbances varied across diuretic strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

Continuous loop-diuretic infusion and thiazide- or acetazolamide-loop diuretic combinations increased urine output significantly, leading to a negative fluid balance and weight loss.

Chronic renal dysfunction in cirrhosis: A new frontier in hepatology

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with liver cirrhosis has become a new frontier in hepatology. In recent years, a sharp increase in the diagnosis of CKD has been observed among patients with cirrhosis. The rising prevalence of risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, appears to have contributed significantly to the high prevalence of CKD. Moreover, the diagnosis of CKD in cirrhosis is now based on a reduction in the estimated glomerular filtration rate of < 60 mL/min over more than 3 mo. This definition has resulted in a better differentiation of CKD from acute kidney injury (AKI), leading to its greater recognition. It has also been noted that a significant proportion of AKI transforms into CKD in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. CKD in cirrhosis can be structural CKD due to kidney injury or functional CKD secondary to circulatory and neurohormonal imbalances. The available literature on combined cirrhosis-CKD is extremely limited, as most attempts to assess renal dysfunction in cirrhosis have so far concentrated on AKI. Due to problems related to glomerular filtration rate estimation in cirrhosis, the absence of reliable biomarkers of CKD and technical difficulties in performing renal biopsy in advanced cirrhosis, CKD in cirrhosis can present many challenges for clinicians. With combined hepatorenal dysfunctions, fluid mobilization becomes problematic, and there may be difficulties with drug tolerance, hemodialysis and decision-making regarding the need for liver vs simultaneous liver and kidney transplantation. This paper offers a thorough overview of the increasingly known CKD in patients with cirrhosis, with clinical consequences and difficulties occurring in the diagnosis and treatment of such patients.

Prognostic role of albumin level in heart failure: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Hypoalbuminemia (HA) is common in HF, however, its pathophysiology and clinical implications are poorly understood. While multiple studies have been published in the past decade investigating the role of serum albumin in HF, there is still no consensus on the prognostic value of this widely available measure. The objective of this study is to assess the prognostic role of albumin in heart failure (HF) patient.

METHODS

Unrestricted searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane databases were performed. The results were screened for relevance and eligibility criteria. Relevant data were extracted and analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. The Begg and Mazumdar rank correlation test was utilized to evaluate for publication bias.

RESULTS

A total of 48 studies examining 44,048 patients with HF were analyzed. HA was found in 32% (95% confidence interval [CI] 28.4%-37.4%) HF patients with marked heterogeneity (I2 = 98%). In 10 studies evaluating acute HF, in-hospital mortality was almost 4 times more likely in HA with an odds ratios (OR) of 3.77 (95% CI 1.96-7.23). HA was also associated with a significant increase in long-term mortality (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.36-1.64) especially at 1-year post-discharge (OR: 2.44; 95% CI: 2.05-2.91; I2 = 11%). Pooled area under the curve (AUC 0.73; 95% CI 0.67-0.78) was comparable to serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in predicting mortality in HF patients.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that HA is associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality as well as long-term mortality with a predictive accuracy comparable to that reported for serum BNP. These findings suggest that serum albumin may be useful in determining high-risk patients.

Optimal diuretic strategies in heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. According to a 2019 American Heart Association report, about 6.2 million American adults had HF between 2013 and 2016, being responsible for almost 1 million admissions. As the population ages, the prevalence of HF is anticipated to increase, with 8 million Americans projected to have HF by 2030, posing a significant public health and financial burden. Acute decompensated HF (ADHF) is a syndrome characterized by volume overload and inadequate cardiac output associated with symptoms including some combination of exertional shortness of breath, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND), fatigue, tissue congestion (e.g., peripheral edema) and decreased mentation. The pathology is characterized by hemodynamic abnormalities that result in autonomic imbalance with an increase in sympathetic activity, withdrawal of vagal activity and neurohormonal activation (NA) resulting in increased plasma volume in the setting of decreased sodium excretion, increased water retention and in turn an elevation of filling pressures. These neurohormonal changes are adaptive mechanisms which in the short term are associated with increased contractility of the left ventricular (LV) and improvement in cardiac output. But chronically, the failing heart is unable to overcome the excessive pressure and volume leading to worsening HF. The primary symptomatic management of ADHF includes intravenous (IV) diuresis to help with decongestion and return to euvolemic status. Even though diuretics have not been shown to provide any mortality benefit, they have been clinically proven to be of significant benefit in the acute decompensated phase, as well as in chronic management of HF. Loop diuretics remain the mainstay of therapy for symptomatic management of HF with use of thiazide diuretics for synergistic effect in the setting of diuretic resistance. Poor diuretic efficacy has been linked with higher mortality and increased rehospitalizations.

Phases of fluid management and the roles of human albumin solution in perioperative and critically ill patients

OBJECTIVE

Positive fluid balance is common among critically ill patients and leads to worse outcomes, particularly in sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and acute kidney injury. Restrictive fluid infusion and active removal of accumulated fluid are being studied as approaches to prevent and treat fluid overload. Use of human albumin solutions has been investigated in different phases of restrictive fluid resuscitation, and this narrative literature review was undertaken to evaluate hypoalbuminemia and the roles of human serum albumin with respect to hypovolemia and its management.

METHODS

PubMed/EMBASE search terms were: "resuscitation," "fluids," "fluid therapy," "fluid balance," "plasma volume," "colloids," "crystalloids," "albumin," "hypoalbuminemia," "starch," "saline," "balanced salt solution," "gelatin," "goal-directed therapy" (English-language, pre-January 2020). Additional papers were identified by manual searching of reference lists.

RESULTS

Restrictive fluid administration, plus early vasopressor use, may reduce fluid balance, but in some cases fluid overload cannot be entirely avoided. Deresuscitation, with fluid actively removed through diuretics or ultrafiltration, reduces duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit stay. Combining hyperoncotic human albumin solution with diuretics increases hemodynamic stability and diuresis. Hyperoncotic albumin corrects hypoalbuminemia and raises colloid osmotic pressure, limiting edema formation and potentially improving endothelial function. Serum levels of albumin relative to C-reactive protein and lactate may predict which patients will benefit most from albumin therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperoncotic human albumin solution facilitates restrictive fluid therapy and the effectiveness of deresuscitative measures. Current evidence is mostly from observational studies, and more randomized trials are needed to better establish a personalized approach to fluid management.

Tolvaptan therapy of Chinese cirrhotic patients with ascites after insufficient diuretic routine medication responses: a phase III clinical trial

BACKGROUND

To determine the safety and efficacy of different doses of tolvaptan for treating Chinese cirrhotic patients with or without hyponatraemia who still had ascites after routine therapy with diuretics.

METHODS

In the present placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blinded, multicentre clinical trial, patients with cirrhotic ascites who failed to adequately respond to a combination of an aldosterone antagonist plus an orally administered loop diuretic were randomly placed at a 4:2:1 ratio into 3 groups [the 15 mg/day tolvaptan group (N = 301), 7.5 mg/day tolvaptan group (N = 153) and placebo group (N = 76)] for 7 days of treatment. The effects and safety were evaluated on days 4 and 7. A change in body weight from baseline on day 7 of treatment was the primary endpoint.

RESULTS

The administration of 7.5 or 15 mg/day tolvaptan significantly decreased body weight from baseline on day 7 of treatment compared to that with placebo treatment (P = 0.026; P = 0.001). For the secondary endpoints, changes in abdominal circumference from baseline and improvements in ascites were markedly different in the treatment groups and the placebo group on day 7 (P_7.5 = 0.05, P_15.0 = 0.002 and P_7.5 = 0.037, P_15.0 = 0.003), but there was no difference between the 7.5 mg/day and 15 mg/day dosage groups. The 24-h cumulative urine volume was higher in the 7.5 mg/day and 15 mg/day tolvaptan groups than the placebo group (P = 0.002, P < 0.001) and was greater in the 15 mg/day tolvaptan group than the 7.5 mg/day tolvaptan group (P = 0.004). Sodium serum concentrations were higher in patients with hyponatraemia after tolvaptan treatment, with no significant difference between the two dosage groups. The incidence of serious adverse drug reactions was not different between the groups (P = 0.543).

CONCLUSIONS

Tolvaptan treatment at 7.5 mg per day might be a good therapeutic choice for Chinese cirrhotic patients with ascites who did not achieve satisfactory clinical responses to previous treatment regimens with combination therapy with an aldosterone antagonist and an orally administered loop diuretic.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01349348. Retrospectively registered May 2011.

Loop diuretics in adult intensive care patients with fluid overload: A protocol for a systematic review of randomised clinical trials with meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis

BACKGROUND

In the intensive care unit, fluid overload is frequent and a risk factor for organ dysfunction and increased mortality. Primarily, lung and kidney functions may be impaired by fluid overload resulting in acute respiratory failure and acute kidney injury. No clinical guidelines exist for treatment of fluid overload in intensive care patients. Loop diuretics, most often furosemide, appear to be the most frequently used pharmacological intervention. The aim of this protocol is to describe the methods of a systematic review assessing the evidence of treatment with loop diuretics in adult intensive care patients with fluid overload.

METHODS

We will conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis and report it according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Statements, use the recommendations of the Cochrane Handbook and assess the quality of the evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. We will include randomised clinical trials identified through searches of major international databases and trial registers. Two authors will independently screen and select trials for inclusion, extract data and assess the methodological quality using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Extracted data will be analysed using Review Manager and Trial Sequential Analysis. The protocol is registered at PROSPERO.

DISCUSSION

We aim to provide reliable evidence on the use of loop diuretics in adult intensive care patients with fluid overload to guide clinicians, decision makers and trialists on clinical practice.

IPNA clinical practice recommendations for the diagnosis and management of children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome

Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome newly affects 1-3 per 100,000 children per year. Approximately 85% of cases show complete remission of proteinuria following glucocorticoid treatment. Patients who do not achieve complete remission within 4-6 weeks of glucocorticoid treatment have steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). In 10-30% of steroid-resistant patients, mutations in podocyte-associated genes can be detected, whereas an undefined circulating factor of immune origin is assumed in the remaining ones. Diagnosis and management of SRNS is a great challenge due to its heterogeneous etiology, frequent lack of remission by further immunosuppressive treatment, and severe complications including the development of end-stage kidney disease and recurrence after renal transplantation. A team of experts including pediatric nephrologists and renal geneticists from the International Pediatric Nephrology Association (IPNA), a renal pathologist, and an adult nephrologist have now developed comprehensive clinical practice recommendations on the diagnosis and management of SRNS in children. The team performed a systematic literature review on 9 clinically relevant PICO (Patient or Population covered, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) questions, formulated recommendations and formally graded them at a consensus meeting, with input from patient representatives and a dietician acting as external advisors and a voting panel of pediatric nephrologists. Research recommendations are also given.

Elastic Bandage vs Hypertonic Albumin for Diuretic-Resistant Volume-Overloaded Patients in Intensive Care Unit: A Propensity-Match Study

OBJECTIVE

To compare elastic bandage (EB) vs hypertonic albumin solution administration to increase fluid removal by enhancing loop diuretic efficiency (DE) in patients with volume overload and diuretic resistance.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this historic cohort study with propensity matching, we included diuretic-resistant adult (≥18 years) patients with volume overload after fluid resuscitation admitted in the intensive care unit from January 1, 2006, through June 30, 2017. Regression models and propensity matching were used to assess the associations of these interventions with changes in DE and other clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

Of 1147 patients (median age, 66; interquartile range [IQR], 56-76 years; 51% [n=590] men), 384 (33%) received EB and 763 (67%) received hypertonic albumin solution. In adjusted models, EB was significantly associated with higher DE compared with hypertonic albumin solution (odds ratio, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.81; P=.004). After propensity matching of 345 pairs, DE remained significantly different between the 2 groups (median, 2111; IQR, 1092 to 4665 mL for EB vs median, 1829; IQR, 1032 to 3436 mL for hypertonic albumin solution; P=.02). EB, male sex, lower baseline serum urea nitrogen level, lower Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and higher baseline left ventricular ejection fraction were DE determinants. The lowest DE quartile (<1073 mL/40-mg furosemide equivalent) following adjustment for known predictors of mortality remained independently associated with higher 90-day death rate (odds ratio, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.13 to 2.36; P=.009).

CONCLUSION

EB use is associated with greater DE than hypertonic albumin solution during the deescalation phase of sepsis resuscitation. Prospective clinical trials would validate the findings of this hypothesis-generating study.

A narrative review of pharmacologic de-resuscitation in the critically ill

Despite evidence highlighting harms of fluid overload, minimal guidance exists on counteraction via utilization of diuretics in the de-resuscitation phase. While diuretics have been shown to decrease net volume and improve clinical outcomes in the critically ill, a lack of standardization surrounding selection of diuretic regimen or monitoring of de-resuscitation exists. Current monitoring parameters of de-resuscitation often rely on clinical signs of fluid overload, end organ recovery and other biochemical surrogate markers which are often deemed unreliable. The majority of evidence suggests that achieving a net-negative fluid balance within 72 h after shock resolution may be of benefit; however, approaches to such goal are uncertain. Loop diuretics are a widely available type of diuretic for removal of volume in patients with sufficient kidney function, with the potential for adjunct diuretics in special circumstances. At present, administration of diuretics within the broad critically ill population fails to find uniformity and often efficacy. Given the lack of randomized controlled trials in this susceptible population, we aim to provide a thorough therapeutic understanding of diuretic pharmacotherapy which is necessary in order to achieve desired goal of fluid balance and improve overall outcomes.

Furosemide stress test as a predictive marker of acute kidney injury progression or renal replacement therapy: a systemic review and meta-analysis

Background

The use of the furosemide stress test (FST) as an acute kidney injury (AKI) severity marker has been described in several trials. However, the diagnostic performance of the FST in predicting AKI progression has not yet been fully discussed.

Methods

In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to March 2020. The diagnostic performance of the FST (in terms of sensitivity, specificity, number of events, true positive, false positive) was extracted and evaluated.

Results

We identified eleven trials that enrolled a total of 1366 patients, including 517 patients and 1017 patients for whom the outcomes in terms of AKI stage progression and renal replacement therapy (RRT), respectively, were reported. The pooled sensitivity and specificity results of the FST for AKI progression prediction were 0.81 (95% CI 0.74–0.87) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.82–0.92), respectively. The pooled positive likelihood ratio (LR) was 5.45 (95% CI 3.96–7.50), the pooled negative LR was 0.26 (95% CI 0.19–0.36), and the pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 29.69 (95% CI 17.00–51.85). The summary receiver operating characteristics (SROC) with pooled diagnostic accuracy was 0.88. The diagnostic performance of the FST in predicting AKI progression was not affected by different AKI criteria or underlying chronic kidney disease. The pooled sensitivity and specificity results of the FST for RRT prediction were 0.84 (95% CI 0.72–0.91) and 0.77 (95% CI 0.64–0.87), respectively. The pooled positive LR and pooled negative LR were 3.16 (95% CI 2.06–4.86) and 0.25 (95% CI 0.14–0.44), respectively. The pooled diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was 13.59 (95% CI 5.74–32.17), and SROC with pooled diagnostic accuracy was 0.86. The diagnostic performance of FST for RRT prediction is better in stage 1–2 AKI compared to stage 3 AKI (relative DOR 5.75, 95% CI 2.51–13.33).

Conclusion

The FST is a simple tool for the identification of AKI populations at high risk of AKI progression and the need for RRT, and the diagnostic performance of FST in RRT prediction is better in early AKI population.

Efficacy of furosemide-albumin compared with furosemide in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients admitted to intensive care unit: a prospective randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

Some physicians co-administer albumin with loop diuretics to overcome diuretic resistance in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients, though previous studies have reported conflicting results on this matter.

OBJECTIVE

The effects of adding albumin to furosemide to enhance its efficacy in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients are evaluated.

METHODS

This was a non-blinded randomized trial. 49 adult critically ill patients with hypoalbuminemia and generalized edema who received randomly furosemide and furosemide/albumin complex were enrolled. The patients' urine was collected at intervals of 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after initiation of the furosemide treatment, and the urine output and urinary excretion of furosemide and sodium were measured. The urinary excretion of furosemide was considered an indicator of drug efficacy.

RESULTS

The amount of sodium and furosemide excreted in urine showed no significant differences between the two groups; however, the mean of the urinary excretion of furosemide in the first 2 h after drug infusion was significantly higher (p = 0.03) in the furosemide/albumin group. No significant correlation between APACHE II scores and serum albumin levels and the urinary excretion of furosemide was seen.

CONCLUSION

The results indicated that there is not statistically significant differences between groups with furosemide alone and combined with albumin in urinary furosemide excretion. It seems that adding albumin for furosemide pharmacotherapy regime is not recommended as an intervention to increase furosemide efficacy in critically ill hypoalbuminemia patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

IRCT with the registration number IRCT201412132582N12 in 23 February 2015; https://en.irct.ir/trial/2356 Graphical abstract.

Diuretic Resistance in Heart Failure

Decompensated heart failure accounts for approximately 1 million hospitalizations in the United States annually, and this number is expected to increase significantly in the near future. Diuretics provide the initial management in most patients with fluid overload. However, the development of diuretic resistance remains a significant challenge in the treatment of heart failure. Due to the lack of a standard definition, the prevalence of this phenomenon remains difficult to determine, with some estimates suggesting that 25-30% of patients with heart failure have diuretic resistance. Certain characteristics, including low systolic blood pressures, renal impairment, and atherosclerotic disease, help predict the development of diuretic resistance. The underlying pathophysiology is likely multifactorial, with pharmacokinetic alterations, hormonal dysregulation, and the cardiorenal syndrome having significant roles. The therapeutic approach to this common problem typically involves increases in the diuretic dose and/or frequency, sequential nephron blockade, and mechanical fluid movement removal with ultrafiltration or peritoneal dialysis. Paracentesis is potentially useful in patients with intra-abdominal hypertension.

Diuretics in Acute Kidney Injury

How to cite this article: Hegde A. Diuretics in Acute Kidney Injury. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(Suppl 3):S98–S99.

Short-term Outcomes of Laparoscopic vs. Open Hepatectomy for Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Prospective Comparative Study

Laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) is a newly developed technique associated with advantages as open surgery, but the study on outcome of liver function recovery was scarce. This preliminary report was aimed to comparatively assess the short-term outcomes between LH and open hepatectomy (OH) for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC). This study retrospectively analyzed the demographic data and short-term outcomes of 81 patients who underwent LH or OH for the primary treatment of PHC between Oct. 2017 and May 2018 at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (China). A total of 81 PHC patients who received major liver resection were enrolled. There were 38 (47%) patients in the LH group and 43 (53%) patients in the OH group. The operative time was significantly longer (373.53±173.38 vs. 225.43±55.08, P<0.01), and hospital stay (17.34±5.93 vs. 21.70±6.89, P=0.003), exhaust time (2.32±0.62 vs. 3.07±0.59, P<0.01) and defecation time (2.92±0.78 vs. 3.63±0.58, P<0.01) were significantly shorter in LH group than in OH group. The recovery of liver function was significantly faster in LH group, including higher serum albumin (P=0.002), higher ratio of albumin/globulin (P=0.029) and lower direct bilirubin (P=0.001) than in OH group. It is suggested that LH can serve as a fast recovery and cheap surgical procedure in the treatment of PHC, which is safe and feasible.

Furosemide as a functional marker of acute kidney injury in ICU patients: a new role for an old drug

New pharmacokinetics insight suggests that the furosemide pharmacology occurring in ICU patients with AKI is similar, but not equal to that described in chronic stable renal patients. Even if the diuretic response to furosemide is expressed by a steep dose-response curve positively correlated with renal function, pharmacodynamic limitations occur when creatinine clearance is < 20 ml/min or urine output is < 500 ml/12 h. In such cases, other factors specifically due to acute tubular injury can interfere with the furosemide-induced diuretic output. As modality of administration recent reports and metanalysis, even if not conclusive, suggest that for the same given dose a continuous infusion of furosemide was superior in diuretic response. For septic shock patients on CVVHDF where treatment adds an additional clearance of furosemide the maximum diuretic response is achieved by a continuous infusion of 20 mg/h of furosemide. At this infusion rate the reached plasma level was < 20 mg/L, a range considered safe and not ototoxic. Therefore, the severity of AKI establishes whether a patient will respond to furosemide. In this review we summarized all these recent updates, also suggesting that the diuretic response under continuous infusion may allow assessing glomerular and tubular functions with increased reliability than a bolus dose. However, validation studies are still needed to support continuous infusion as a stress test.

Furosemide and Albumin for Diuresis of Edema (FADE): A parallel-group, blinded, pilot randomized controlled trial

PURPOSE

To assess the feasibility of a trial evaluating whether hyperoncotic albumin, in addition to diuretics, improves diuresis and facilitates liberation from mechanical ventilation in critically ill adults.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We randomized 46 hemodynamically stable patients with hypoalbuminemia, prescribed diuretics by treating clinicians, to receive 100 mL of 25% albumin or 0.9% saline placebo BID, for three days, in blinded fashion. We chose five feasibility measurements: enrolment of 50% of eligible patients, at least one patient/week; administration of study treatment within 2 h of diuretics in 85% of patients; completion of study regimen in 80% of patients; and avoidance of open label albumin in 85% of patients. Clinical outcomes included fluid balance, ventilator-free days, and mortality.

RESULTS

We randomized 85% of eligible patients. Eighty-four percent received study treatment within 2 h of diuretics, 69% received all doses of study treatment. Study treatment was held in the albumin and placebo groups because of no further need for diuresis (4 vs. 1), hypotension (2 v. 4), and albumin > 35 (1 v. 0). Twenty percent of patients received open-label albumin. Clinical outcomes were similar between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study design did not demonstrate feasibility, but can inform the design of a definitive trial.

Treatment of Disorders of Sodium Balance in Chronic Kidney Disease

Extracellular fluid volume expansion is nearly universal in patients with CKD. Such volume expansion has features similar to the syndrome of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which not only leads to symptoms but can also lead to further organ damage. Unique treatment challenges are present in this patient population, including low glomerular filtration, which limits sodium chloride filtration, intrinsic tubule predisposition to sodium chloride retention, and proteinuria. In addition, pharmacokinetic considerations alter the disposition of diuretics in patients with CKD and nephrotic syndrome. Maintaining extracellular fluid volume near to normal is often necessary for hypertension treatment in this population, but it may also help prevent progressive cardiovascular and kidney damage. Although powerful diuretics can often accomplish this goal, this often comes at a cost of competing adverse effects. An approach to reduce extracellular fluid volume while avoiding adverse effects, therefore, requires a nuanced yet aggressive therapeutic approach.

Economic evaluation of human albumin use in patients with nephrotic syndrome in four Brazilian public hospitals: pharmacoeconomic study

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE:

In 2004, the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, ANVISA) published a resolution establishing guidelines for albumin use. Although the published data do not indicate any definitive conclusions about the benefits of albumin use in patients with nephrotic syndrome (NS), the guidelines recommend this procedure only in cases of edema that is refractory to use of diuretics. The aim here was to analyze albumin use among patients with nephrotic syndrome.

DESIGN AND SETTING:

Pharmacoeconomic study conducted in four large public referral hospitals for nephrology services in northeastern Brazil.

METHOD:

Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility economic evaluations were performed on a concurrent cohort of patients with nephrotic syndrome, who were divided into two groups according to compliance or noncompliance with the guidelines. Quality-of-life data were obtained from the SF36 and CHQ-PF50 questionnaires.

RESULTS:

This study enrolled 109 patients (60% adults and 56% women); 41.3% were using albumin in accordance with the guidelines. The weight, diuresis and fluid balance parameters were more cost-effective for patients who adhered to the guidelines. Regarding days of hospitalization avoided, the incremental ratio showed a daily cost of R$ 55.33, and guideline-compliant patients were hospitalized for five days or fewer. The quality of life improved by 8%, and savings of R$ 3,458.13/QALY (quality-adjusted life year) for the healthcare system were generated through guideline compliance.

CONCLUSION:

The economic analyses of this study demonstrated that there were greater cost benefits for patients whose treatment followed the guidelines.

Diuretic usage for protection against end-organ damage in liver cirrhosis and heart failure

Volume overload is common in liver cirrhosis, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease, being an independent risk factor for mortality. Loop diuretics have been widely used for treating volume overload in these patients. However, there is a tendency to increase the dose of loop diuretics partly because of diuresis resistance. Neurohormonal factors are also enhanced in these patients, which play a role in volume overload and organ ischemia. Loop diuretics cannot improve neurohormonal factors and could result in end-organ damage. The water diuretic tolvaptan has been approved for use for volume overload in heart failure and liver cirrhosis. Despite causing similar increases in urine volume, its characteristics differ from those of loop diuretics. Renal blood flow is maintained with tolvaptan but decreased with furosemide in heart failure patients. Neurohormonal factors and blood pressure are not markedly altered by tolvaptan administration. It is expected that these mechanisms of tolvaptan can protect against worsening renal function by volume overload diseases compared with loop diuretics. It has also been reported that some patients do not respond well to tolvaptan. Loop diuretics and tolvaptan share the same mechanism with regard to decreasing renal interstitial osmolality, which plays a fundamental role in water diuresis. Thus, a high dose of loop diuretics could result in resistance to tolvaptan, so tolvaptan should be administered before increasing the loop diuretic dose. Therefore, volume control without enhancing end-organ damage can be achieved by adding tolvaptan to a tolerable dose of Na-sparing diuretics.

Hypertension in CKD Pregnancy: a Question of Cause and Effect (Cause or Effect? This Is the Question)

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasingly encountered in pregnancy, and hypertension is frequently concomitant. In pregnancy, the prevalence of CKD is estimated to be about 3%, while the prevalence of chronic hypertension is about 5-8%. The prevalence of hypertension and CKD in pregnancy is unknown. Both are independently related to adverse pregnancy outcomes, and the clinical picture merges with pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia. Precise risk quantification is not available, but risks linked to CKD stage, hypertension, and proteinuria are probably multiplicative, each at least doubling the rates of preterm and early preterm delivery, small for gestational age babies, and related outcomes. Differential diagnosis (based upon utero-placental flows, fetal growth, and supported by serum biomarkers) is important for clinical management. In the absence of guidelines for hypertension in CKD pregnancies, the ideal blood pressure goal has not been established; we support a tailored approach, depending on compliance, baseline control, and CKD stages, with strict blood pressure monitoring. The choice of antihypertensive drugs and the use of diuretics and of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are still open questions which only future studies may clarify.

Fluid Management: Pharmacologic and Renal Replacement Therapies

OBJECTIVES

Focusing on critically ill children with cardiac disease, we will review common causes of fluid perturbations, clinical recognition, and strategies to minimize and treat fluid-related complications.

DATA SOURCE

MEDLINE and PubMed.

CONCLUSIONS

Meticulous fluid management is vital in critically ill children with cardiac disease. Fluid therapy is important to maintain adequate blood volume and perfusion pressure in order to support cardiac output, tissue perfusion, and oxygen delivery. However, fluid overload and acute kidney injury are common and are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Understanding the etiologies for disturbances in volume status and the pathophysiology surrounding those conditions is crucial for providing optimal care.

The Efficacy of Tolvaptan in Congestive Heart Failure Patients with and Without Hypoalbuminemia: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) with hypoalbuminemia is associated with poor response to conventional therapy. We investigated whether tolvaptan, a potent aquaretic agent, might be of benefit in HF patients with hypoalbuminemia.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled 40 patients hospitalized for HF. Patients received conventional therapy including loop diuretics. We subsequently added tolvaptan in the range of 3.75-15 mg daily and it was discontinued after improvement of HF symptoms. We compared clinical and laboratory data in HF patients with and without hypoalbuminemia (defined as serum albumin <3.0 g/dL).

RESULTS

Tolvaptan was administered in 18 HF patients with hypoalbuminemia (Group A) and 22 HF patients without hypoalbuminemia (Group B). The mean serum albumin was 2.63 ± 0.27 and 3.46 ± 0.25 g/dL, respectively. The average urine output on tolvaptan increased significantly in both groups (1644.4 ± 797.6-3011.6 ± 1453.8 mL/day, P = 0.004; 1459 ± 612.7-2112.2 ± 724.5 mL/day, P = 0.008; respectively). In addition, we observed higher urine output on therapy in Group A than in Group B (P = 0.015). There was a moderate negative correlation between serum albumin and average urine output on tolvaptan (r = -0.42, P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS

The addition of tolvaptan to low dose loop diuretics might be an effective strategy for treatment of HF patients with hypoalbuminemia.

Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society 2014 Consensus Statement: Pharmacotherapies in Cardiac Critical Care Fluid Management

OBJECTIVE

In this Consensus Statement, we review the etiology and pathophysiology of fluid disturbances in critically ill children with cardiac disease. Clinical tools used to recognize pathologic fluid states are summarized, as are the mechanisms of action of many drugs aimed at optimal fluid management.

DATA SOURCES

The expertise of the authors and a review of the medical literature were used as data sources.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The authors synthesized the data in the literature in order to present clinical tools used to recognize pathologic fluid states. For each drug, the physiologic rationale, mechanism of action, and pharmacokinetics are synthesized, and the evidence in the literature to support the therapy is discussed.

CONCLUSIONS

Fluid management is challenging in critically ill pediatric cardiac patients. A myriad of causes may be contributory, including intrinsic myocardial dysfunction with its associated neuroendocrine response, renal dysfunction with oliguria, and systemic inflammation with resulting endothelial dysfunction. The development of fluid overload has been associated with adverse outcomes, including acute kidney injury, prolonged mechanical ventilation, increased vasoactive support, prolonged hospital length of stay, and mortality. An in-depth understanding of the many factors that influence volume status is necessary to guide optimal management.