title: [The efficacy of artificial liver support system treatment on hepatic failure in China: a meta-analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Conducting a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of artificial liver support system (ALSS) in the treatment of hepatic failure in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical trials comparing ALSS vs. routine medical treatment of hepatic failure in China were identified from computer-based literature. The pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) of prognostic indicators, such as survival rate and clinical improvement rate at discharge, were used to measure the magnitude of the efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten trials including 1030 patients were identified. The odds ratio (95% CI) of survivorship or improvement of ALSS over routine medical treatment in early, intermediate and advanced stages of hepatic failure were 3.72 (2.03-6.83), 2.79 (2.88-4.14) and 1.85 (0.96-3.56) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALSS treatment is more effective in early and intermediate stages of hepatic failure than routine medical treatment, but not in its advanced stage.
authors.affiliation: Second Hospital of Nanjing, Affiliated to the Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China. yyf1972@tom.com
authors.forename: Yong-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Lin-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yi-Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Li-Rong
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D019164:Liver, Artificial; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome