Motor cortex excitability in severe liver failure: effects of Molecular Adsorbent Recycling System

Molecular adsorbent recirculating system (MARS) application in liver failure: clinical and hemodepurative results in 22 patients

PURPOSE

Acute liver failure (ALF) and acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) still show a poor prognosis. MARS was used in 22 patients with ALF or ACLF to prolong patient survival for liver function recovery or as a bridge to transplantation.

DESIGN

Evaluation of depurative efficiency, biocompatibility, hemodynamics, encephalopathy (HE) and clinical outcome.

PROCEDURES

During 71 five-hour sessions we evaluated (0', 60', 120', 180', 240', 300'): bilirubin, ammonia, cholic acid (CCA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CCDCA), leukocytes, platelets, hemoglobin and mean arterial pressure (MAP). Serum creatinine, electrolytes, cardiac output, cardiac index (bioimpedence) and HE (West Haven Criteria score) were evaluated at 0' and 300'. STATISTICAL METHODS AND OUTCOME MEASURES: Student's t-test for pre- vs. end-session values was used. For bilirubin and ammonia the correlation test was made between pre- and end-session values and between pre-session values and removal rates (RRS).

MAIN FINDINGS

Survival was 90.9% at 7 days, 40.9% at 30 days. Pre- vs. end-session: bilirubin from 37.2 +/- 12.5 mg/dL to 24.9 +/- 8.9 mg/dL (p < 0.01), ammonia from 88.0 +/- 60.4 micromol/L to 43.6 +/- 32.9 micromol/L (p < 0.01), CCA from 42.8 +/- 21.0 micromol/L 18.2 +/- 9.8 micromol/L (p < 0.01), CCDCA from 26.3 +/- 6.3 micromol/L to 15.7+/-7.6 micromol/L (p<0.01). The correlation test between pre-session values of bilirubin and ammonia vs. RR S was respectively 0.32 (p = 0.01) and 0.30 (p = 0.04). Leukocytes, platelets and hemoglobin remained stable. MAP increased from 82.0 +/- 12.0 mmHg to 87.0 +/- 13.0 mmHg (p < 0.05), West Haven Criteria score decreased from 2.7 +/- 0.7 to 0.7 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

MARS treatment led in all patients to an improvement of clinical, hemodynamic and neurological conditions, with significant reduction in the hepatic toxins blood level. Treatment biocompatibility and tolerance were satisfactory.

[Artificial liver support systems: update on albumin dialysis (MARS)]

Mortality among patients with liver insufficiency continues to be unacceptably high. The prognosis of patients with acute episodes of chronic liver insufficiency is almost as poor as that of patients with acute liver failure. Therefore, systems that support liver function, either until liver transplantation can be performed or until resolution of the situation before acute injury occurs, are essential. Albumin dialysis is a system of artificial liver support that allows detoxification of albumin-related and hydrosoluble substances, thus maintaining the patient's homeostasis. Current clinical experience of this therapy is still limited, although beneficial effects on clinical, laboratory and hemodynamic parameters have been demonstrated. Multicenter, controlled trials to evaluate the effect of this therapy on survival in distinct diseases are needed.

Albumin dialysis using the molecular adsorbent recirculating system

Liver support systems based on either dialysis, filtration, and adsorption or plasmaperfusion over hepatocytes have been tested clinically with varying success. A new approach in this field is the selective removal of albumin-bound end products of metabolism. This can be achieved in a high-flux dialysis setting by the addition of human serum albumin as a molecular adsorbent to the dialysate with subsequent recirculation of the dialysate over sorbents (molecular adsorbent recirculating system). The current knowledge about the albumin dialysis molecular adsorbent recirculating system is reviewed in this article.