title: Clinical experience with molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) in patients with drug-induced liver failure.
abstract: The molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) is a novel extracorporeal technique for liver support. We report the clinical results in a group of fourteen patients with drug-induced liver failure. Fourteen patients, aged 22-83 years, with acute or subacute liver failure [mean Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score 11 (range 8-15)] due to the intake of various drugs (diet pill overdose-2; Chinese traditional medicine (CTM)-4; antibiotic, paracetamol, tuberculostatic, or vasodilator abuse-8) were treated with one to seven sessions of MARS. Beneficial effects such as the improvement of encephalopathy and prothrombin activity, as well as a reduction of bilirubin and ammonia were recorded during MARS treatments. Thirteen out of fourteen patients survived the hospitalization (93%), and two of the discharged patients died during the follow-up of 6-12 months. The overall survival rate was about 79%. MARS therapy can contribute to the improved treatment of drug-induced liver failure patients.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Digestive Diseases, Xi'jing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ji-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Kai-Chun
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Dai-Ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Min-Min
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D019164:Liver, Artificial; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome