Objective: Conducting a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of artificial liver support system (ALSS) in the treatment of hepatic failure in China.
Methods: Clinical trials comparing ALSS vs. routine medical treatment of hepatic failure in China were identified from computer-based literature. The pooled odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (CI) of prognostic indicators, such as survival rate and clinical improvement rate at discharge, were used to measure the magnitude of the efficacy.
Results: Ten trials including 1030 patients were identified. The odds ratio (95% CI) of survivorship or improvement of ALSS over routine medical treatment in early, intermediate and advanced stages of hepatic failure were 3.72 (2.03-6.83), 2.79 (2.88-4.14) and 1.85 (0.96-3.56) respectively.
Conclusion: ALSS treatment is more effective in early and intermediate stages of hepatic failure than routine medical treatment, but not in its advanced stage.