Renal dysfunction in patients with cirrhosis: Where do we stand?

Core Tip

Core tip: Close surveillance, well -classified definitions and scoring systems will be helpful in recognizing the renal dysfunction. Noninvasive biomarkers (NGAL, sCysC) reflect the prospective method in identifying kidney damage and kidney function. The acute renal function is proposed to be assessed with modified acute kidney injury network (AKIN) and the baseline renal function in stable patients with MDRD-6 formula or chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration Cys C-Cr equation. MBRS score or RIFLE criteria for AKI evaluation should be tried in critically ill cirrhotic patients, while in candidates for transplantation, glomerular filtration rate should be preferably measured with exogenous markers for accurate assessment of renal function. Amelioration of the underlined liver disease is very impressive in patients with alcoholic liver disease after recovery from alcoholic hepatitis, and in patients with decompensated cirrhosis due to hepatitis B virus infection after receiving antiviral therapy.