The Sympathetic-adrenal system (SAS) and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in relation with the abnormalit-ies of renal function were studied in a total of 44 patients with liver cirrhosis and 35 cases of normal control. Our results showed that in patients with cirrhosis and ascites

a significant sodium retention was present

the renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate were decreased; the plasma renin activity and the plasma concentrations of angiotensin II

aldosterone

nb-radrenaline

adrenaline and 24 hours urinary excretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline were all significantly increased

and they were negatively correlated with 24 hours urinary sodium excretion; a negative relationship also existed between plasma noradrenaline concentration and effctive renal plasma flow. It was concluded that the enhanced activities of RAAS and SAS were the important factors for renal sodium retention

and the latter was also playing an important role in the abnormality of renal hemo dynamics in patients with cirrhosis and ascites