A Multi-Centre, Randomised, Open-Label, Phase II Study of Ambrisentan in Patients With Hepatorenal Syndrome
Patients with advanced cirrhosis of the liver develop kidney problems occasionally. This condition is called Hepatorenal Syndrome, requires hospitalization and frequently results in death. The goal of this clinical trial is to test whether the administration of low doses of ambrisentan can help patients with Hepatorenal Syndrome and to determine if it is safe. Ambrisentan is a drug that is approved for the treatment of high blood pressure in the lungs at higher doses. This clinical trial will compare the safety and effects of ambrisentan to another drug called terlipressin, which is commonly used to treat patients with hepatorenal syndrome. The main questions the clinical trial aims to answer are: * Does ambrisentan help the kidney function of the patient? * Does ambrisentan help prevent death in patients with Hepatorenal Syndrome? * Does ambrisentan prevent Hepatorenal Syndrome from reappearing? While in the hospital, trial participants will receive either one of two doses of ambrisentan or terlipressin. If in the first 4 days, ambrisentan is not helpful, the patient may be eligible to receive terlipressin. Patients assigned to receive ambrisentan will continue taking this medication at home after leaving the hospitals and until they complete 60 days of treatment.
• Written Informed consent prior to any study-related procedures.
• Age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 70 years.
• Male or non-pregnant, non-lactating female. Women of child-bearing potential must have a confirmed negative serum pregnancy test at the time of screening and must use a highly effective contraceptive method throughout the study such as combined (oestrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, intravaginal, transdermal), progestogen-only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, injectable, implantable), intrauterine device (IUD), intrauterine hormone-releasing system (IUS), bilateral tube occlusion, vasectomised partner, and sexual abstinence and until one month after completing treatment with the study medication. In the case of hormonal contraception, women should have been on a stable regimen for a minimum of three months before study enrolment. Women not of child-bearing potential include post-menopausal females (defined as having a history of amenorrhea for at least one year) or a documented status as being surgically sterile (hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, tubal ligation/salpingectomy). Men must use an effective contraception method (i.e., condom + diaphragm/spermicidal gel or foam, or vasectomy), and should not donate semen during the study. Men are considered to be fertile from the time of puberty, except for those men with permanent sterility secondary to bilateral orchiectomy.
• Cirrhosis of the liver by laboratory examination, clinical history or biopsy.
• History of ascites.
• Increase in serum creatinine ≥ 0.3 mg/dl (26.5 µmol/L) from a value obtained in the 7 days prior to admission, OR a serum creatinine ≥ 1.5 mg/dl (132.6 µmol/L) and is ≥ 1.5-fold above the most recent and lowest value obtained in the last 3 months.
• The subject has no clinical and/or haemodynamic evidence of intravascular volume depletion; or has undergone at least 12 hours of diuretic withdrawal and fluid resuscitation to discard or treat intravascular volume depletion (such as difficulty in establishing volume status, volume status is assessed as equivocal, or there is clinical and/or haemodynamic evidence of intravascular volume depletion), and no significant improvement in serum creatinine has been observed.