[Albumin infusion for paracentesis in patients with cirrhosis: dogma or evidence?]. / Administration d'albumine lors de paracentèse évacuatrice dans la cirrhose: dogme ou évidence?

ABSTRACT

Large-volume paracentesis is the procedure of choice for refractory or symptomatic ascitis. However, there is a risk for Post-paracentesis Circulatory Dysfunction (PCD) leading to hyponatremia, renal failure, or worsening portal hypertension. PCD may be effectively prevented by volume expanders, essentially albumin, administered during and after the procedure, but the data regarding the impact of this treatment on mortality are still limited. For this reason, there is a debate about the true clinical benefit of preventing PCD, explaining some variations among published guidelines. The efficacy of molecules other than albumin is still under study but none has shown real superiority so far.