Urinary Prostaglandins and Renal Function in Chronic Liver Diseases

Abstract

Changes in urinary PGE₂ and PGF_2a excretion in chronic liver diseases were observed in relation to renal hemodynamics and sodium balance. After equilibration on a 110–170-meq sodium diet, daily urine collections were analyzed for PGE₂ and PGF_2a by a new extraction and radioimmunoassay method. PGE₂ was significantly greater in cirrhotics than in healthy subjects and in chronic hepatitis. The value was greater in cirrhotics with ascites than in those without ascites (p < 0.05). PGF_2a did not differ among the groups. In cirrhotics PGE₂ was correlated negatively with creatinine clearance (Ccr) (r = −0.76,p < 0.001). After administration of 200 mgindomethacin. a significant fall in Ccr was seen only in cirrhotics with ascites. The percentage fall in PGE₂ after indomethacin correlated with that in Ccr (r = 0.89, p < 0.05) and with that in urinary sodium excretion (r = 0.68, p < 0.02). These results suggest that PGE₂ is essential in the maintenance of renal function in liver cirrhosis with ascites.

Key Words:

• Indomethacin
• liver cirrhosis
• prostaglandin
• renal circulation
• sodium excretion