N-acetyl cysteine therapy in acute viral hepatitis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) on acute viral hepatitis (AVH).


METHODS
We administered 200 mg oral NAC three times daily (600 mg/day) to the study group and placebo capsules to the control group. All patients were hospitalized and diagnosed as AVH. Blood total and direct bilirubin, ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, albumin and globulin levels of each patient were measured twice weekly until total bilirubin level dropped under 2 mg/dl, ALT level under 100 U/L, follow up was continued and then the patients were discharged.


RESULTS
A total of 41(13 female and 28 male) AVH patients were included in our study. The period for normalization of ALT and total bilirubin in the study group was 19.7+/-6.9 days and 13.7 +/- 8.5 days respectively. In the control group it was 20.4 +/- 6.5 days and 16.9 +/- 7.8 days respectively (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
NAC administration effected neither the time necessary for normalization of ALT and total bilirubin values nor duration of hospitalization, so we could not suggest NAC for the treatment of icteric AVH cases. However, our results have shown that this drug is not harmful to patients with AVH.
Gunduz
Huseyin
H
Department of Internal Medicine and Cordiology, Izzet Baysal Medical Faculty, Izzet Baysal University/Bolu, Turkey. drhuseyingunduz@yahoo.com
Karabay
Oguz
O
Tamer
Ali
A
Ozaras
Resat
R
Mert
Ali
A
Tabak
Omer Fehmi
OF
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001663:Bilirubin; D000111:Acetylcysteine