Sodium Excretion and Balance After Dietary Sodium Reduction

Clinical Implications

• For patients with cirrhosis and ascites, the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommends sodium restriction (typically to 88 mmol/day or 2000 mg/day) as a mainstay of treatment, but the full response may not be seen immediately 1, 2
• In clinical settings, 24-hour urinary sodium collections are more informative than random specimens for assessing sodium balance, as suggested by the Hepatology society 1

Long-term Adaptation

• The body will ultimately conserve sodium when intake is chronically low, with urinary sodium excretion decreasing to match intake minus non-urinary losses, according to the Hepatology society 1