Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29250327›Full record

ArticleBiomedical reports2017

Tolvaptan is effective in treating patients with refractory ascites due to cirrhosis.

Toshiyuki Tahara, Kiyoto Mori, Mari Mochizuki, Ryoko Ishiyama, Marin Noda, Hitomi Hoshi, Alan Kawarai Lefor, Satoshi Shinozaki

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biomedical reports, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 26% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. [Research progress of tolvaptan in the treatment of refractory ascites in cirrhosis].Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology · 2025
    Review
  4. Review
  5. Observational
  6. Article
  7. Management of refractory cirrhotic ascites: challenges and solutions.Hepatic medicine : evidence and research · 2018
    Review
  8. Effects of tolvaptan on renal function in chronic kidney disease patients with volume overload.International journal of nephrology and renovascular disease · 2018
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Toshiyuki TaharaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 329-0974, Japan.
Kiyoto MoriDepartment of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 329-0974, Japan.
Mari MochizukiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 329-0974, Japan.
Ryoko IshiyamaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 329-0974, Japan.
Marin NodaDepartment of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 329-0974, Japan.
Hitomi HoshiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Saiseikai Utsunomiya Hospital, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 329-0974, Japan.
Alan Kawarai LeforDepartment of Surgery, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
Satoshi ShinozakiShinozaki Medical Clinic, Utsunomiya, Tochigi 321-3223, Japan.
Saiseikai Utsunomiya hospital · JPJichi Medical University · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The treatment of refractory ascites due to cirrhosis is a clinical challenge for hepatologists. Tolvaptan, a novel aquaporin modulator, was made available in Japan in 2013 for the treatment of patients with refractory ascites due to cirrhosis. Despite the potential of this drug, few reports are available regarding its clinical use. The aim of the present study was to clarify the efficacy of tolvaptan in patients with refractory ascites due to cirrhosis and to review the clinical outcomes of treatment. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed for 65 patients with refractory ascites due to cirrhosis who were treated daily with 7.5 mg tolvaptan. The median follow-up time, defined as the period between starting tolvaptan and the last clinic visit or date of mortality, was 175 days (interquartile range 56-406). After one week of tolvaptan treatment, the mean weight reduction was 3.4 kg, with a response rate of 69% (45/65). Subsequently, factors associated with the response to tolvaptan were analyzed. On univariate analysis, maintaining serum sodium (Na) ≥140 mEq/l and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥55 ml/min were significant predictors of response (P<0.05). On multivariate analysis, hepatitis C virus etiology, maintaining serum Na ≥140 mEq/l and an eGFR ≥55 ml/min were significant predictors of response (P<0.05). Factors associated with survival were also analyzed using the Cox proportional hazard model. On multivariate analysis, responsiveness to tolvaptan was a predictor of long-term survival (P=0.002), and hyperbilirubinemia was associated with short-term survival (P=0.028). Additionally, Kaplan-Meier analysis with a log-rank test indicated longer survival times in tolvaptan responders than non-responders (P=0.011). In conclusion, tolvaptan was effective in treating patients with refractory ascites due to cirrhosis. In particular, tolvaptan treatment was highly effective for patients with hepatitis C virus etiology and normal serum Na and renal function. Furthermore, response to tolvaptan was associated with longer survival time while hyperbilirubinemia was associated with shorter survival time.

Indexed as

ascitesdiureticsglomerular filtration ratehyponatremialiver cirrhosispatient outcome assessment

Identifiers

PMID29250327
PMCPMC5727763
OpenAlexW2765637142

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.