NPPB and Ascites: On the basis of our previous own results from another clinical trial [10], we evaluated the metabolic and inflammatory effects of intravenous high-dose furosemide plus HSS compared with repeated paracentesis and a standard oral diuretic schedule, in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites, evaluating their effects on a panel of serum biomarkers such as some inflammatory cytokines, ANP/BNP, leptin and visfatin serum levels by means of analysis of differences of their serum levels before and after treatment with high dose furosemide + HSS.