title: [A multi-center clinical study of N-acetylcysteine on chronic hepatitis B].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in treating chronic hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  144 patients with chronic hepatitis B (total bilirubin, TBil>170 mmol/L) from several centers were chosen for a randomized and double blind clinical trial. The patients were divided into a NAC group and a placebo group and all of them were treated with an injection containing the same standardized therapeutic drugs. A daily dose of 8 microgram NAC was added to the injection of the NAC group. The trial lasted 45 days. Hepatic function and other biochemistry parameters were checked at the experimental day 0 and days 15, 30, 45.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Each group consisted of 72 patients of similar demology and disease characteristics. During the trial, 28 cases of the 144 patients dropped out. In the NAC group, at day 0 and day 30, the TBil were 401.7 vs. 149.2 and 160.1+/-160.6. In the placebo group, the TBil on the corresponding days were 384.1+/-134.0 and 216.3+/-199.9. Its decrease in the NAC group was 62% and 42% in the placebo group. At day 0 and day 45 of treatment, the effective PTa increase rate was 72% in the NAC group and 54% in the placebo group. The total effective rate (TBil + PTa) was 90% in the NAC group and 69% in the placebo group. The parameters of the two groups showed a remarkable difference. The rate of side effects was 14% in the NAC and 5% in the placebo groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NAC can decrease the level of serum TBil, increase the PTa and reduce the time of hospitalization. NAC showed no serious adverse effects during the period of our treatment. We find that NCA is effective and secure in treating chronic hepatitis B patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Shu-Hua
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: Yun-Song
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Jin-Ke
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhi-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xu-Qing
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Quan-Hai
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: You-Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Wei-Qun
authors.initials: WQ
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000111:Acetylcysteine