文摘
Objective To investigate the relation between the adrenal production of gluco- and mineralocorticoids, the inflammatory status and the outcome in critically ill patients with liver cirrhosis. Design Prospective descriptive study. Setting Medical intensive care unit (ICU) in a?university hospital. Patients Fifty consecutive patients with liver cirrhosis. Interventions A?corticotropin stimulation test within 12?h following ICU admission. Plasma cortisol concentration was measured before and after the test. Renin and aldosterone concentrations, as well as interleukin-6 (IL-6) level to assess the pro-inflammatory status, were measured only before the test. Impaired adrenal function was defined as cortisol response to the test less than 9?μg/dl. Hyperreninemic hypoaldosteronism syndrome was defined as basal renin over aldosterone ratio (RRA) higher than 2. Measurements and results Forty-one (82%) patients had impaired adrenal function, and 26 patients (52%) presented with RRA >-. Patients with RRA >- exhibited greater disease severity and organ dysfunction scores at baseline, higher levels of serum renin and IL-6, and a?greater ICU mortality rate, but risk-adjusted mortality rates were not different between the two groups. Renin and IL-6 plasma concentrations were positively correlated. Finally, in a?Cox regression analysis, independent predictors of 30-day mortality were hyperreninemic hypoaldosteronism syndrome, IL-6 higher than 400?pg/ml and severe renal failure. Conclusions Adrenal dysfunction was common in critically ill cirrhotic patients. Hyperreninemic hypoaldosteronism syndrome was related to a?greater pro-inflammatory status and degree of acute organ failure, and was independently associated with a?worse prognosis.