title: Galactosamine-induced fulminant liver failure--observation in a porcine model.
abstract: Fulminant hepatic failure can only be treated successfully by liver transplantation, which, however, is not always available. To "bridge" the patient with fulminant hepatic failure until a liver graft is available, various forms of liver support devices had been designed but they were not uniformly successful. To prove the efficacy of a liver support device for fulminant hepatic failure, testing in an animal model is necessary. We attempted to induce a pig model with fulminant hepatic failure by administering galactosamine into pigs and reported the observation. Three pigs were given a dose of 0.5 gm/kg of galactosamine and five pigs were given 1 gm/kg of galactosamine. One pig receiving 0.5 gm/kg galactosamine survived after manifestation of liver failure, while all the other pigs died. The two pigs receiving 0.5 gm/kg galactosamine survived longer than the five pigs receiving 1 gm/kg galactosamine. Before death, a significant elevation of parenchymal liver enzymes, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin, bile acid, ammonia, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, activated clotting time, a decrease of platelet concentration, ketone bodies ratio, blood glucose and plasma albumin, and serious impairment of indocyanine green clearance were indicated. At post-mortem, severe liver necrosis was observed. The model may be suitable for testing the efficacy of liver support device for fulminant hepatic failure, preferably 24-48 hours after administration of galactosamine.
authors.affiliation: The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. China.
authors.forename: David W Y
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Douglas K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Ying-Bo
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jensen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: Irene O L
authors.initials: IO
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016527:Drug Costs; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000191:economics; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D005688:Galactosamine