• Florence Wong, S Chris Pappas, Michael P Curry, K Rajender Reddy, Raymond A Rubin, Michael K Porayko, Stevan A Gonzalez, Khalid Mumtaz, Nicholas Lim, Douglas A Simonetto, Pratima Sharma, Arun J Sanyal, Marlyn J Mayo, R Todd Frederick, Shannon Escalante, Khurram Jamil, and CONFIRM Study Investigators.
• From the Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto (F.W.); Orphan Therapeutics, Annandale (S.C.P.), and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, Bedminster (S.E., K.J.) - both in New Jersey; the Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston (M.P.C.); the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (K.R.R.); Piedmont Transplant Institute, Piedmont Healthcare, Atlanta (R.A.R.); the Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville (M.K.P.); the Department of Medicine, Baylor Scott and White All Saints Medical Center, Fort Worth (S.A.G.), and the Department of Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas (M.J.M.) - both in Texas; Ohio State University, Columbus (K.M.); the Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis (N.L.), and the Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester (D.A.S.) - both in Minnesota; the Department of Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor (P.S.); Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond (A.J.S.); and Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco (R.T.F.).
• N. Engl. J. Med. 2021 Mar 4; 384 (9): 818-828.

BackgroundThe vasoconstrictor terlipressin is used for type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS-1) in many parts of the world and is part of the clinical practice guidelines in Europe.MethodsWe conducted a phase 3 trial to confirm the efficacy and safety of terlipressin plus albumin in adults with HRS-1. The patients were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to receive terlipressin or placebo for up to 14 days; in both groups, concomitant use of albumin was strongly recommended. The primary end point was verified reversal of HRS, defined as two consecutive serum creatinine measurements of 1.5 mg per deciliter or less at least 2 hours apart and survival without renal-replacement therapy for at least 10 days after the completion of treatment. Four prespecified secondary end points were analyzed with the Hochberg procedure to account for multiple comparisons.ResultsA total of 300 patients underwent randomization - 199 were assigned to the terlipressin group and 101 to the placebo group. Verified reversal of HRS was reported in 63 patients (32%) in the terlipressin group and 17 patients (17%) in the placebo group (P = 0.006). With respect to the prespecified secondary end points, HRS reversal, defined as any serum creatinine level of 1.5 mg per deciliter or less during the first 14 days, was reported in 78 patients (39%) in the terlipressin group and 18 (18%) in the placebo group (P<0.001); HRS reversal without renal-replacement therapy by day 30, in 68 (34%) and 17 (17%), respectively (P = 0.001); HRS reversal among patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (84 patients in the terlipressin group and 48 patients in the placebo group), in 31 (37%) and 3 (6%), respectively (P<0.001); and verified reversal of HRS without recurrence by day 30, in 52 (26%) and 17 (17%), respectively (P = 0.08). At day 90, liver transplantations had been performed in 46 patients (23%) in the terlipressin group and 29 patients (29%) in the placebo group, and death occurred in 101 (51%) and 45 (45%), respectively. More adverse events, including abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, and respiratory failure, occurred with terlipressin than with placebo. Death within 90 days due to respiratory disorders occurred in 22 patients (11%) in the terlipressin group and 2 patients (2%) in the placebo group.ConclusionsIn this trial involving adults with cirrhosis and HRS-1, terlipressin was more effective than placebo in improving renal function but was associated with serious adverse events, including respiratory failure. (Funded by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals; CONFIRM ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02770716.).Copyright © 2021 Massachusetts Medical Society.

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