Angiotensin 2 for AKI After OLT

Description

Acute kidney injury is a common perioperative complication following liver transplantation with an incidence of approximately 55%. Due to the complex physiologic derangements present in cirrhotic patients, multiple etiologies and processes may contribute, including chronic and acute hepatorenal syndrome, ATN, renal toxic medication administration, microvascular circulatory dysfunction from vasopressors, and hypoperfusion from the vasodilatory and hypovolemic forms of shock that are common during liver transplantation. While some of the risk factors for these causes of AKI can be mitigated, our current area of investigation revolves around the modulation of the renin-angiotensin system in the prevention of perioperative AKI. In cirrhosis, poor renal blood flow causes an increase in circulating levels plasma renin. However, recent studies suggest low levels of angiotensinogen and angiotensin 2, which are associated with AKI in cirrhotic patients5 and may contribute to the risk of perioperative AKI in liver transplant patients.

Angiotensin 2 was approved for clinical use as a vasopressor in 2017. The efficacy of angiotensin 2 at increasing systemic blood pressure in patients with vasodilatory shock was demonstrated by the ATHOS 3 trial. This study found that the addition of angiotensin 2 increased MAP by close to 10mmHg compared to placebo (12.5 vs 2.9 mmHg p 40 were excluded, and no specific subgroup analysis was done. While several case reports of safe administration of angiotensin 2 in patients with cirrhosis have been published, we hope to further investigate its safety during liver transplant surgery. We hypothesize that angiotensin 2 can safely be administered in cirrhotic patients