Objective. Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a clinical syndrome of sudden and severe liver dysfunction accompanied by encephalopathy in a previously healthy person. In FHF, hepatocytes are severely damaged and ordin...Objective. Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a clinical syndrome of sudden and severe liver dysfunction accompanied by encephalopathy in a previously healthy person. In FHF, hepatocytes are severely damaged and ordinary liver regeneration is impaired. We demonstrated that the expression of osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional cytokine, was up-regulated in mouse oval cell (a stem-cell progenitor) induction models. Material and methods. Based on this finding, serum OPN levels were examined in 43 patients with FHF and in 45 patients with acute self-limited hepatitis (AH). To determine the cellular source of OPN, the expression of OPN was studied in a liver specimen derived from an FHF patient. Results. The mean OPN level of patients with FHF was 2.80±0.48 ng/ml (log10,±SD), which was significantly higher than that of the patientswith AH (2.42±0.39 ng/ml) (p = 0.003, unpaired t-test). Patients with elevated serum OPN levels had a significantly poorer prognosis than patients whose serum OPN levels were not elevated. In the FHF patient’s liver, OPN protein was expressed not only in inflammatory cells but also in regenerating hepatocytes and bile ductular structures. Conclusions. Our current study indicates that serum OPN levels increased in patients with FHF and that OPN might play an important role in liver regeneration due to activation of hepatic stem cells.展开更多
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect and safety of a Molecular Adsorbent Recycling System (MARS) in treating posthepatoectomy hepatic failure (AHF) patients surgically treated for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). M...OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect and safety of a Molecular Adsorbent Recycling System (MARS) in treating posthepatoectomy hepatic failure (AHF) patients surgically treated for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS 12 AHF patients induced by resection of HCC were treated with MARS before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Their vital signs, urine volume, APACHEⅢand Glasgow scores were monitored. Routine laboratory blood tests, measurements of coagulatory function, liver and kidney function, serum ammonia, lactic acid and blood gas were conducted before and after treatment with MARS. All of the patients were followed up for a period of 6 months after OLT for prognosis and complication assessment. RESULTS Each patient was treated with MARS for 2-5 times (average of 3.6) with a length of 8-24 h each time. Their mean arterial blood pressure and urine volume were improved, APACHEⅢand Glasgow scores were better. Liver function was improved with the following alterations before and after treatment with MARS: serum ammonia (127.1±21.4 umol/L vs. 77.4±19.7 umol/L, P<0.05), lactic acid (6.53±0.45 mmol/L vs. 3.75±0.40 mmol/L, P<0.05) and total bilirubin (452.3±153.7 umol/L vs. 230.9±115.2 umol/L, P<0.05). However, there was no significant change in platelet count (44.25±3.60×109/L vs. 43.19±8.26×109/L, P>0.05) on international normalized ratio (INR) (2.74±0.50 us. 2.82±0.60, P>0.05), which showed the safety of MARS. For all patients no serious adverse effects occurred during the treatment with MARS. CONCLUSION MARS is effective and safe for treatment of AHF patients with HCC, especially as a bridge to OLT when a donor organ is not available.展开更多
文摘Objective. Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) is a clinical syndrome of sudden and severe liver dysfunction accompanied by encephalopathy in a previously healthy person. In FHF, hepatocytes are severely damaged and ordinary liver regeneration is impaired. We demonstrated that the expression of osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional cytokine, was up-regulated in mouse oval cell (a stem-cell progenitor) induction models. Material and methods. Based on this finding, serum OPN levels were examined in 43 patients with FHF and in 45 patients with acute self-limited hepatitis (AH). To determine the cellular source of OPN, the expression of OPN was studied in a liver specimen derived from an FHF patient. Results. The mean OPN level of patients with FHF was 2.80±0.48 ng/ml (log10,±SD), which was significantly higher than that of the patientswith AH (2.42±0.39 ng/ml) (p = 0.003, unpaired t-test). Patients with elevated serum OPN levels had a significantly poorer prognosis than patients whose serum OPN levels were not elevated. In the FHF patient’s liver, OPN protein was expressed not only in inflammatory cells but also in regenerating hepatocytes and bile ductular structures. Conclusions. Our current study indicates that serum OPN levels increased in patients with FHF and that OPN might play an important role in liver regeneration due to activation of hepatic stem cells.
文摘OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect and safety of a Molecular Adsorbent Recycling System (MARS) in treating posthepatoectomy hepatic failure (AHF) patients surgically treated for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS 12 AHF patients induced by resection of HCC were treated with MARS before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Their vital signs, urine volume, APACHEⅢand Glasgow scores were monitored. Routine laboratory blood tests, measurements of coagulatory function, liver and kidney function, serum ammonia, lactic acid and blood gas were conducted before and after treatment with MARS. All of the patients were followed up for a period of 6 months after OLT for prognosis and complication assessment. RESULTS Each patient was treated with MARS for 2-5 times (average of 3.6) with a length of 8-24 h each time. Their mean arterial blood pressure and urine volume were improved, APACHEⅢand Glasgow scores were better. Liver function was improved with the following alterations before and after treatment with MARS: serum ammonia (127.1±21.4 umol/L vs. 77.4±19.7 umol/L, P<0.05), lactic acid (6.53±0.45 mmol/L vs. 3.75±0.40 mmol/L, P<0.05) and total bilirubin (452.3±153.7 umol/L vs. 230.9±115.2 umol/L, P<0.05). However, there was no significant change in platelet count (44.25±3.60×109/L vs. 43.19±8.26×109/L, P>0.05) on international normalized ratio (INR) (2.74±0.50 us. 2.82±0.60, P>0.05), which showed the safety of MARS. For all patients no serious adverse effects occurred during the treatment with MARS. CONCLUSION MARS is effective and safe for treatment of AHF patients with HCC, especially as a bridge to OLT when a donor organ is not available.