【Abstract】Objective To evaluate effect of artificial liver support system (ALSS) in liver failure and liver transplantation.Methods Forty-four patients with liver failure (including 12 undergoing liver transplantation) were treated with MARS or plasma exchange. The changes of toxic substances and cytokines in blood were detected before and after treatment. Results ALSS therapy achieved a remarkable improvement in clinical symptoms and physical signs. After ALSS treatment, there was a significant decrease in total bilirubin, total bile acid, alanine aminotransferase, creatinine, urea nitrogen, blood ammonia and endotoxin levels(P＜0.05); the levels of serum NO, TNF-α, IL-4 and IL-6 were significantly decreased(P＜0.05); there was no statistical change in erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets. The survival rate of 30 liver failure patients caused by severe hepatitis B was 60.0%(18/30). Six patients with acute liver failure were successfully performed liver transplantation. Two patients in 6 with acute liver failure after liver transplantation survived. One patient in 2 with acute liver failure after pancreatoduodenectomy survived. Conclusion ALSS plays a positive role in treatment of liver failure by removing blood toxins, NO and cytokines. ALSS also plays a substitute role for liver failure patients who are waiting for liver transplantation.
ObjectiveTo learn the outcomes of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) cases after artificial liver support system (ALSS) treatment and the relevant factors correlated with the clinical outcomes. MethodsIn the period from January 2011 to June 2014, 321 patients with HBV-ACLF were admitted to West China Hospital. The clinical data at baseline, before and after treatment were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regressions to identify the independent risk factors correlated with 30-day outcomes. ResultsOf all the 321 patients, 233 survived and 88 died by the end of a 30-day observation. The univariate analysis identified that the incidences of cirrhosis, hepatorenal syndrome and peritonitis in the death group were significantly higher (P<0.05). The model for end-stage liver disease values, white blood cells (WBC), blood ammonia, creatinine and total bilirubin (TBIL) at different stages in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group (P<0.05). In the death group, the HBV-DNA, TBIL decrease after triple ALSS treatments, baseline prothrombin time activity (PTA) and PTA level after triple ALSS treatments were significantly lower (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression indicated that WBC (OR=2.337, P<0.001) and TBIL level after triple ALSS treatments (OR=4.935, P<0.001) were independent predicting factors for death within 30 days after ALSS treatment; HBV-DNA (OR=0.403, P<0.001), the decrease of TBIL after triple ALSS treatments (OR=0.447, P<0.001) and PTA level after triple ALSS treatments (OR=0.332, P<0.001) were protecting factors for the 30-day prognosis. ConclusionThese five factors including WBC, HBV-DNA, PTA, TBIL and TBIL decrease after triple ALSS treatments influence the short-term prognosis for HBV-ACLF patients, which are valuable for decision making in clinical practices.