The effects of midodrine on the natriuretic response to furosemide in cirrhotics with ascites.

BACKGROUND

Resistance to loop diuretics is common in patients with ascites. Diminished glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is thought to mediate resistance to loop diuretics. Midodrine, a commonly used alpha-1 agonist, has been shown to improve GFR in non-azotemic patients with cirrhosis.

AIM: To conduct a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study to test the hypothesis that midodrine significantly increases natriuretic response of IV furosemide in non-azotemic cirrhotics with ascites.

METHODS

All subjects participated in both phases, which were (i) furosemide IV infusion + oral midodrine 15 mg administered 30 min before furosemide (ii) furosemide IV infusion + oral placebo administered 30 min before furosemide. Primary outcomes were 6-h urine sodium excretion and 6-h total urine volume.

RESULTS

A total of 15 patients (men: 8; age: 52.7 ± 7.6 years; serum creatinine: 1.06 ± 0.2 mg/dL) were studied. Total 6-h urine sodium excretion was 109 ± 42 mmol in the furosemide + midodrine treatment phase and was not significantly different from that in the furosemide + placebo treatment phase (126 ± 69 mmol, P = 0.6). Similarly, mean 6-h total urine volume was not significantly different between two groups (1770 ± 262 mL vs. 1962 ± 170 mL, P = 0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

Oral midodrine does not increase the natriuretic response to furosemide in non-azotemic cirrhotic patients with ascites. Orally administered midodrine does not increase natriuretic response to furosemide in non-azotemic cirrhotic patients with ascites.