A pilot study of polyunsaturated phosphatidyl choline in fulminant and subacute hepatic failure.
Present pilot study was conducted to evaluate efficacy and safety of polyunsaturated phosphatidyl choline (PPC) in a phase III clinical trial in patients of fulminant and subacute hepatic failure over one year period in a prospective randomised blinded controlled design. We found that in patients of fulminant hepatic failure, recovery period from encephalopathy was faster and mortality rate lower in the test group of patients who received PPC in a dose of 350 mg thrice daily for 6 to 8 weeks as compared to the control groups who did not receive it. In the patients of subacute hepatic failure, recovery from encephalopathy was faster, mortality rate lower and regression of ascites was significantly higher (P = 0.0022) in test group of patients who received PPC as compared to the control group. However, as the number of patients in the present pilot study is small, we propose that larger clinical trials are warranted in this direction to prove the efficacy and safety of PPC in fulminant and subacute hepatic failure.
Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi-221 005, India.
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NK
Singh
R C
RC
Prasad
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010713:Phosphatidylcholines