Increased Sympathetic Nervous Activity and the Effects of Its Inhibition with Clonidine in Alcoholic Cirrhosis
Why the study?
Does intravenous clonidine reduce sympathetic nervous activity and improve hemodynamics in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis?
Population
44 hospitalized patients with biopsy-proven alcoholic cirrhosis and 31 healthy controls
Comparison
Intravenous clonidine vs None (uncontrolled trial for the intervention)
Design
Cross-sectional
Authors
Discussion
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Member takes
Implication
Supports investigation of clonidine for hemodynamics in alcoholic cirrhosis; leaves open outcome benefits pending randomized trials.
Structured PICO
Does intravenous clonidine reduce sympathetic nervous activity and improve hemodynamics in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis?
P
Population
44 hospitalized patients with biopsy-proven alcoholic cirrhosis and 31 healthy controls
I
Intervention
Intravenous clonidine (graded dosing: 1, 2, and 3 micrograms/kg body weight)
C
Comparator
None (uncontrolled trial for the intervention)
O
Outcome
Radiotracer-derived measures of norepinephrine release to plasma, central hemodynamics, wedge hepatic vein pressure, and measures of renal functionsurrogate
Intravenous clonidine reduces sympathetic nervous activity, lowers renal vascular resistance, and reduces portal venous pressure in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.
Cite This Study
Esler et al. (1992) studied this question.