Efficacy and Economic Evaluation of Nonbiological Artificial Liver Therapy in Acute-on-chronic Hepatitis B Liver Failure

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nonbiological artificial liver (NBAL) is frequently used as a first-line treatment for hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). This study aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy and cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) of comprehensive medical treatment, plasma exchange (PE), and double plasma molecular adsorption system (DPMAS) plus half-dose PE (DPMAS+PE) in patients with HBV-ACLF. METHODS: A total of 186 patients with HBV-ACLF randomly received comprehensive medical treatment, PE, or DPMAS+PE and were prospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into four subgroups based on the pretreatment prothrombin activity (PTA): Group I (PTA>40%), group II (PTA 30–40%), group III (PTA 20–30%), and group IV (PTA<20%). The main outcome measures were 28 day effectiveness; 90 day liver transplantation-free survival; change of biochemical parameters; and CER. RESULTS: DPMAS+PE treatment was associated with significantly higher 28 day effectiveness and 90 day liver transplantation-free survival compared with PE treatment in patients with group I liver failure. Clearance of serum total bilirubin (TBIL), AST, and creatinine (Cr) were significantly higher in the DPMAS+PE group than in the PE group. For subjects with group I liver failure, DPMAS+PE treatment had advantages of lower CER values and better cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with comprehensive medical treatment and PE alone, DPMAS with half-dose sequential PE treatment more effectively improved TBIL, AST, and Cr in HBV-ACLF patients, improved 28 day effectiveness and 90 day survival rates in patients with group I liver failure, and was more cost effective. DPMAS+PE is a viable NBAL approach for treatment of HBV-ACLF.