Noradrenalin Versus the Combination of Midodrine and Octreotide in Patients with Hepatorenal Syndrome: Randomized Clinical Trial

BACKGROUND Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is known as development of acute renal failure in a patient who usually has advanced liver disease. The aim of the present study was to determine the safety and the efficacy of noradrenalin in comparison with midodrine-octreotide in patients with HRS. METHODS This study was registered to the Iranian Registry of Clinical trials (IRCT). This study was a single-center, randomized, clinical trial that performed in Alzahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Since March 2011 to January 2012, twenty-three patients were enrolled in the study. Eligible patients were allocated in 2 groups. In the first group, patients received infusion of NA with the dose of 0.1-0.7 μg/kg/min, and in the other groups, patients received octreotide 100-200 μg subcutaneously 3 times daily and midodrine 5-15 mg orally 3 times daily. In both study groups, patient received albumin infusion in addition to noradrenalin or midodrine-octreotide. RESULTS Complete response of HRS was observed in 8 of the 11 patients (73%) treated with noradrenalin and in 9 of the 12 patients (75%) treated with midodrine-octreotide (P > 0.05). HRS recurred after treatment withdrawal in 2 of 11 in NA and 3 of 12 in MO group. That shows no significant difference between 2 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION We deduce that NA has the same efficacy and safety with MO and can induce a complete response in high percentage of the patients. Moreover, we observed no significant differences in the recurrence rate and outcomes after 3 months among the patients in both study groups; this result could support the use of NA in HRS management. The IRCT ID is: IRCT201107217085N1.