title: The liver protective effect of methylprednisolone on a new experimental acute-on-chronic liver failure model in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute-on-chronic liver failure is a severe, life-threatening entity and the comprehension of this disease is incomplete. Currently, a reasonable surgical model of acute-on-chronic liver failure is still lacking. The aim of this study was to establish a new model of acute-on-chronic liver failure in rats and to investigate the protective effects of methylprednisolone on this model.
  
  
  METHODS
  An obstructive jaundice model in rats was established. Two weeks later, the animals were subjected to a choledochoduodenostomy and a reduced-size hepatic ischaemia/reperfusion injury. Animals were randomly divided into a control group, a methylprednisolone injected via the tail vein group and a methylprednisolone injected via the portal vein group. The survival rates and serum levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, tumour necrosis factor alpha, and interferon gamma of the rats were measured and the pathological changes in liver tissues were observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survival rate was significantly improved in the methylprednisolone treatment groups. Serum levels of the biochemical indexes were the lowest in the portal vein injection group. Liver tissues under microscopy presented severe pathological injury in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This model could be useful for further research into acute-on-chronic liver failure and methylprednisolone may be a potential therapeutic agent for this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Electronic address: swsw2218@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Shiqiang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Aimin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
authors.forename: Fusheng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D065290:Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006498:Hepatectomy; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011169:Portal Vein; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D008775:Methylprednisolone
keywords: Acute-on-chronic liver failure; Liver surgery; Methylprednisolone