Comparative Mortality Rates of Vasoconstrictor Agents in the Management of Hepatorenal Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is an acute complication of advanced liver disease, which manifests with a rapidly progressive decline in kidney function. Though pharmacological treatment has been recently advanced, there are still high mortality rates. The study compares the mortality rate in patients using different vasoconstrictor agents in the management of HRS. A complete literature search was done in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Library, PubMed Central (PMC), and Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI). Studies were included according to previously established criteria, in which all studies reporting on adult patients with HRS treated with vasoconstrictor agents were eligible. The data extracted were analyzed with a random-effects model to express variability between studies, and the principal measure was the risk ratio (RR) for mortality. Of the 8,137 studies identified, 29 met the inclusion criteria. In the meta-analysis, vasoconstrictors, mainly terlipressin, significantly improved renal function and decreased the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT) versus placebo. However, a significant impact on mortality was lacking (0.94 (0.84-1.06), p = 0.31). The subgroup analysis found that mortality rates were not significantly different between vasoconstrictors, whether used in combination with or without albumin (0.97 (0.77-1.23), p = 0.79, and 0.98 (0.79-1.21), p = 0.86). Global heterogeneity was low, indicating consistent results in the studies. Vasoconstrictors are helpful in managing HRS, with improvement in renal function and reduction in RRT requirements. However, the effect on mortality was small and nonsignificant. Such findings support the use of terlipressin in HRS management; concomitantly, they emphasize the need for personalized treatment strategies and future research to find alternative therapies that may be more effective for improved survival results with fewer side effects.