Abstract:
Background: Liver failure resulting from different causes and its concomitant complication represent difficult-to-treat conditions with high mortality rates, despite improved therapeutic modalities in intensive care medicine. The accumulation of albumin-bound metabolities that are normally cleared by the liver, such as bilirubin and ammonia, contributes substantially to the development of multiorgan dysfunction in these clinical situations. Liver transplantation is a goal standard treatment but organ sharing and high-urgency status like patients with acute or acute on-top chronic liver failure are still major problems. Artificial support system reduce mortality in liver failure compared with standard medical therapy thus could be used for bridging or supportive therapy. Methods: 12 patients with liver disease and accompanying hyperbilirubinemia (total bilirubin > 20 mg/dL) were treated with Single-pass albumin dialysis on 1-5 consecutive days for 6 hr. Serum total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, urea and creatinine were measured before and 2 hr. after treatment. Results: Single-pass albumin dialysis treatment significantly improved levels of total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, urea and creatinine (p<0.05 for all parameters). Reduction ratio of total bilirubin was 22.9+-3.8%, conjugated bilirubin was 20.9+-5%, urea was 19+-4.1% and creatinine was 27.7+-13.1%. No significant difference between serum ammonia before and after treatment (p=0.32). No significant change in mean arterial pressure during treatment. No treatment related complications was found. The 15-day in hospital survival was 16.7%. Conclusion: Single-pass albumin dialysis is a safe supportive therapy for patients with liver failure. A significant improvement of the biochemical milieu was observed already after treatment.