MARS:Patients with liver failure based on hepatitis B in China

liver411

Liver 2002 Apr;22 Suppl 2:48-51



Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System: clinical experience in patients
with liver failure based on hepatitis B in China.

Chen S, Zhang L, Shi Y, Yang X, Wang M
[Medline record in process]


The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of treatment with the
Molecular Adsorbent Recirculating System (MARS) on liver failure based on
HBV. In 25 patients (median age, 36.3 years, range, 22-67 years, bilirubin
level > 255 micro mol/l) admitted with liver failure based on HBV, the 6-8h
MARS intermittent treatments were performed without any adverse events, A
significant decrease in bilirubin, ammonia and urea levels were observed (P
< 0.05). All patients achieved a remarkable neurologic recovery,
particularly 2 HE-III and 3 HE-IVpatients regained normal consciousness,
respectively. The survival rate for the patients whose treatments kept to
the MARS art strategy was 76.9% (10/13), while the others only had the
survival rate of 16.7% (2/12) due to their giving up sequential MARS
treatments after the first time. The rebounding rate of the bilirubin level
in the patients after a single MARS treatment was significantly lower than
that of patients, who underwent a single plasma-exchange treatment (P <
0.01). It is concluded that MARS method can contribute to the optimistic
treatment of liver failure patients based on HBV which being the major
epidemic liver disease in China.

PMID: 12220304, UI: 22209696