Objective: To analyze and summarize the clinical efficacy and safety of lymphocyte apheresis combined with plasma exchange in the treatment of patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver failure at the ascending stage.
Methods: A observational study was conducted. A total of 69 hepatitis B virus-related liver failure at the ascending stage patients who were hospitalized at Affiliated Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 2016 to December 2020 were enrolled in this study. The patients were grouped according to their condition and wishes, including 38 patients treated with conservative medical treatment (control group) and 31 patients treated with lymphocyte apheresis combined with plasma exchange based on comprehensive medical treatment (study group). Clinical data were compared between the two groups 1-4 weeks after treatment, including dynamic changes of total bilirubin (TBil), international normalized ratio (INR), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and the rate of clinical improvement at 4 weeks after treatment. In addition, the adverse effects and dynamic changes of white blood cell count (WBC), lymphocyte count (LYM), platelet count (PLT), and hemoglobin (Hb) within 4 weeks after treatment were compared between the two groups.
Results: Both groups showed significant improvement in clinical parameters after 1-4 weeks of initiation of therapy. The improvement of TBil, INR and MELD score at 1-4 weeks after treatment were significantly better in the treatment group than those in the control group [TBil (μmol/L): 248 (117, 335) vs. 398 (328, 464) at 1 week, 173 (116, 278) vs. 326 (184, 476) at 2 weeks, 107 (84, 235) vs. 355 (129, 467) at 3 weeks, 70 (61, 172) vs. 290 (82, 534) at 4 weeks; INR: 1.72±0.70 vs. 2.13±0.69 at 1 week, 1.67±0.61 vs. 2.28±1.35 at 2 weeks, 1.65±0.75 vs. 2.15±0.92 at 3 weeks, 1.61±0.93 vs. 2.19±1.17 at 4 weeks; MELD score: 18.35±5.32 vs. 23.38±4.56 at 1 week, 16.47±5.16 vs. 23.71±7.94 at 2 weeks, 16.30±5.75 vs. 22.64±6.99 at 3 weeks, 14.63±6.76 vs. 20.97±8.19 at 4 weeks], with significant differences (all P < 0.05). In addition, ALT levels at 1 week and 2 weeks after treatment in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group [U/L: 128 (93, 206) vs. 240 (167, 436) at 1 week, 64 (42, 110) vs. 85 (69, 143) at 2 weeks, both P < 0.05]. The rate of clinical improvement at 4 weeks after treatment in the study group was 54.84% (17/31), which was significantly higher than that in the control group [28.95% (11/38)], with statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the rate of new infection between the study group and the control group [22.58% (7/31) vs. 34.21% (13/38), P > 0.05]. Additionally, expect that the PLT level at 1 week after treatment in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (×109/L: 101±42 vs. 128±59, P < 0.01), there was no significant difference in WBC, LYM or Hb at different time points after treatment between the two groups.
Conclusions: Clinical efficacy of lymphocyte apheresis combined with plasma exchange based on comprehensive medical treatment in the treatment of patients with hepatitis B virus-related liver failure at the ascending stage is superior to conservative medical treatment alone, which can improve clinical improvement rate and recovery rate of liver function with high safety.