The Effect of a Large-volume Paracentesis on Fatigue, Sleep, and Quality of Life in Cirrhosis

Ascites is the accumulation of fluid within the peritoneal cavity of the abdomen. It is a frequent complication of cirrhosis that is associated with significant morbidity and poor quality of life. Large-volume ascites has been associated with impaired pulmonary function. In a previous study, the presence and severity of ascites were determined to be significant determinants of fatigue.

In this study, we will determine whether large-volume ascites contributes to fatigue by assessing the response to drainage of ascites by means of a procedure called large-volume paracentesis. We hypothesize that treatment of ascites with a single large-volume paracentesis leads to decreased fatigue and improved quality of life and that this improvement is associated with improved sleep pattern.

20 patients with cirrhosis with refractory ascites requiring regular drainage of ascites fluid by large-volume paracenteses will be recruited for the study. All patients will undergo a complete clinical and physical examination for liver function, including blood tests. Hepatic encephalopathy, a change in mental status associated with liver dysfunction, will be assessed by obtaining historical data and by means of simple bedside neuropsychological examinations.

Study visits will take place on two consecutive days, with each visit lasting approximately 2-3 hours. Immediately prior to a large-volume paracentesis, patients will complete standardized questionnaires for fatigue severity, quality of life, quality of sleep, and a physical assessment of fatigue by means of a 6-minute walk test. Repeat evaluations will be performed 1 day after the procedure. Statistical analysis will then be performed to determine the effect of the paracentesis on the various clinical assessments.

Study Overview

• Status: Withdrawn
• Conditions: Hepatic Encephalopathy; Fatigue; Cirrhosis; Ascites

Detailed Description

The study design is a prospective observational analysis. Subjects who have been deemed candidates for a large-volume paracentesis, based on clinical criteria and who meet the above-referenced inclusion and exclusion criteria will be recruited to participate in this study. Study visits will take place on 2 consecutive days. Each study visit will last approximately 2 to 3 hours. The first assessment day will occur immediately prior to an electively-scheduled large-volume paracentesis. The second assessment will occur one day later.

Once enrolled, all subjects will undergo a baseline assessment of liver function. Medical records will be reviewed to determine etiology of cirrhosis, history of variceal bleeding, history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, history of hospitalization for hepatic encephalopathy, and use of and clinical response to treatment with lactulose, neomycin, and/or rifaximin. Body mass index and grade of ascites (grade 1, mild ascites; grade 2, moderate ascites; grade 3, massive or tense ascites) will be determined based on physical examination. History or presence of asterixis will be recorded. Severity of hepatic encephalopathy will be graded according to the West-Haven criteria and further assessed by neuropsychological testing (discussed in further detail below). Baseline serum laboratory analyses will be obtained, including the following: aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, total bilirubin, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio, and platelet count. Based on these serum studies, the Child-Pugh score and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score will be calculated.

After baseline assessments are obtained, the six-minute walk test and a series of questionnaires (discussed in further detail below) to assess fatigue, sleep, and quality of life will be performed on study day 1, immediately prior to the paracentesis, and then repeated one day after the paracentesis. Note that neither the six-minute walk test nor the neuropsychological testing or questionnaires are considered standard of care for patients requiring large-volume paracentesis and these will be performed exclusively for research purposes.

• Study Type: Observational

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • New York
    • New York, New York, United States, 10016
      • New York University School of Medicine

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with cirrhosis with diuretic-resistant refractory ascites (based on International Ascites Club criteria)

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Subjects with cirrhosis (based on clinical, laboratory, radiologic evaluation, and liver biopsy, when available) with diuretic-resistant refractory ascites, based on International Ascites Club criteria.[2,31] Specific criteria used for inclusion will be subjects with ascites that cannot be stabilized despite intensive diuretic therapy (e.g., 400 mg of spironolactone with 160 mg of furosemide per day) and dietary sodium restriction (90 mmol of sodium per day) with reappearance of grade 2 or 3 ascites within 4 weeks of mobilization (defined as decrease of ascites at least to grade 1). All subjects must provide separate written consent to undergo a large-volume paracentesis.

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects will not be eligible for the study if they: (1) have been hospitalized in the previous 1 month for gastrointestinal bleeding, infection, or renal failure; (2) are unable to independently ambulate or have had unstable angina or myocardial infarction within the previous 1 month, as these are contraindications to participating in the 6-minute walk test; (3) are unable to participate in neuropsychological tests or questionnaires; (4) are receiving interferon therapy; (5) have a history of alcohol abuse within the previous 6 months; (6) have a diagnosis of a primary neurologic disorder or uncontrolled psychiatric disorder; or (7) are receiving psychotropic medications such as benzodiazepines and anti-epileptic drugs.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Case-Only
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

1

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Patients with cirrhosis; Male and female subjects who have cirrhosis of the liver and diuretic-resistant ascites (based on International Ascites Clib criteria) and have been evaluated and approved to have a large-volume paracentesis as part of standard of care treatment.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Fatigue	Patients undergo 6-minute walk test and fill out Fisk Impact Scale (Fatigue Questionnaire)	10 min

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Hepatic Encephalopathy	Patients undergo psychometric testing that involves Trail Making Test and Digit Symbol Substitution Test.	10 min
Quality of Life	Patients fill out Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 questionnaire	5 min
Daytime Sleepiness	Patients fill out Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaire.	5 min

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: NYU Langone Health
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Samuel Sigal, MD, NYU Langone Health

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 24, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 24, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): January 29, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): August 4, 2015
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 3, 2015
• Last Verified: August 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Digestive System Diseases; Liver Failure; Hepatic Insufficiency; Pathologic Processes; Metabolic Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Liver Diseases; Brain Diseases, Metabolic; Fibrosis; Fatigue; Liver Cirrhosis; Hepatic Encephalopathy; Brain Diseases; Ascites
• Other Study ID Numbers: R11-00672

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No