Evaluation of Copeptin in Patients With Cirrhosis and Ascites

Copeptin is a glycopeptide released by the post-pituitary gland. In case of decrease in blood volume or blood pressure, it is secreted in the serum in an equimolar quantity to arginine vasopressin (AVP) . Unlike AVP, copeptin is readily assayable in serum and its prognostic value has been recently observed during cirrhosis. However, the pathophysiological relationships between serum copeptin concentrations and indirect markers of inflammation are unknown. The main objective of this multicenter pilot study is to study the relationship between serum copeptin and markers of inflammatory stress in cirrhotic patients with ascites. It is indeed in this population with high-risk of complications that most need biomarkers of events (like death) are needed. The main secondary objective is to evaluate the prognostic interest at 6 months of the variation of copeptin between day 0- day15.