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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
6
pubmed:dateCreated
2008-8-4
pubmed:abstractText
Various artificial liver support systems are currently used in patients with decompensated chronic liver disease or acute liver failure as a bridge to recovery or to orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Between June 2004 and September 2006, 9 subjects were treated with plasma exchange (PE) for acute decompensation on chronic liver disease or chronic decompensation in end-stage liver disease. All of them were awaiting OLT or were listed at the moment of decompensation. Grade II to III hepatic encephalopathy (HE) was present in 4 patients, significant renal dysfunction in 3 patients, and ascites in 6 patients. Baseline serum total bilirubin was 35.1+/-11.2 mg/dL (mean value+/-SD). The patients underwent a mean of 12.1 2-hour exchanges over 1 to 8 weeks. The 3 who recovered were alive after a mean follow-up of 22.7+/-10.3 months. There were 3 patients who underwent transplantation and 3 who died due to liver failure during treatment. Only subjects with acute decompensation and without HE or significant renal dysfunction survived without OLT. PE did not significantly modify the grade of HE or the renal function. PE seemed to be a safe, long-term, effective therapeutic option for acute decompensation among subjects with chronic liver disease without brain or renal dysfunction.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:issn
0041-1345
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
40
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1929-31
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:articleTitle
Acute decompensation and absence of brain and kidney dysfunction predict long-term efficacy of plasma exchange in hyper-bilirubinemic cirrhotic patients awaiting liver transplantation.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University, A. Gemelli Hospital, Rome, Italy. terapiamedica@tin.it
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article