Comparison of the effect of midodrine versus octreotide on hemodynamic status in cirrhotic patients with ascites

BACKGROUND: In cirrhotic patients peripheral vasodilatation may decrease renal blood flow and subsequently raises plasma renin activity. Octreotide with several mechanisms causes peripheral arterial vasoconstriction. Midodrine is an alpha agonist and acts as a peripheral vasoconstrictor; therefore it may reduce plasma renin activity and improve renal function. In this study the effects of these two agents were compared on cirrhotic patients to determine their ability to reduce plasma renin activity and increase GFR. METHODS: This study was a randomized clinical trial and was performed in Al-Zahra hospital in 2008-2009; 34 patients with CHILD C cirrhosis enrolled in this study. They were randomly divided into two groups. First group were treated by 3 days of subcutaneous octreotide 50 μg tid (n = 17). For the second group oral midodrine 7.5 mg tid was administrated for 3 days. Plasma renin activity, blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate, and body weight were measured and compared before and after therapy in both groups. RESULTS: In both groups, plasma rennin activity decreased significantly after treatment. The present study showed that both midodrine and octreotide can reduce plasma renin activity but midodrine can reduce PRA and increase GFR more potently than octreotide. CONCLUSIONS: Midodrine has a favorable hemodynamic effect in nonazotemic cirrhotic patients by decreasing plasma renin activity and increasing GFR.