title: Effectiveness of combining plasma exchange with plasma perfusion in acute fatty liver of pregnancy: a retrospective analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a severe liver failure condition that has limited therapeutic approaches. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of combining plasma exchange (PE) and plasma perfusion (PP) with conventional therapy for the treatment of AFLP using a retrospective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 22 patients with AFLP, 16 cases were treated with conventional treatment (CT group), while the other 6 cases were treated with PE and PP in addition to conventional therapy (CT+PE+PP group). Treatment efficacy was based primarily on survival and secondarily on liver and kidney functions 2 weeks after treatment. Adverse effects were also assessed at the same time point.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the CT+PE+PP group, 5 (83.3%) patients improved, while 1 (16.7%) patient died of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. In the CT group, 3 (18.75%) patients improved, while 13 (81.2%) patients died of complications. Liver and kidney functions and survival were significantly improved in the CT+PE+PP group (p < 0.05) compared to the CT group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Timely application of PE and PP in the early phase of AFLP may be a promising treatment to halt or reverse the progression of AFLP.
authors: Department of Nursing, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, PR China.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Ding
authors: Li-Ping
authors: LP
authors: Han
authors: Xiao-Ping
authors: XP
authors: Lou
authors: Li-Na
authors: LN
authors: Geng
authors: Dong
authors: D
authors: Liu
authors: Qin
authors: Q
authors: Yang
authors: Shan
authors: S
authors: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006464:Hemoperfusion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult