A comparative study of the treatment outcomes in Alcoholic Liver Disease patients treated with Ursodeoxycholic acid and Methionine along with Abstinence (Placebo)

Abstract

Liver is extremely active organ in the body. Ethanol toxicity on liver is a function of duration of alcoholism, amount of daily intake and patient's nutrition. Ethanol is oxidized in the liver to acetaldehyde , a compound considerably more toxic than ethanol itself. ATP synthesis rate is reduced in the liver cells when exposed to ethanol... ethanol is metabolised by two ways.Chronic ethanol consumption  has a profound stimulatory effect on microsomal enzymes, in particular cytochrome CYP2E1. Alcohol increases the flow of blood in the portal and hepatic vascular resistance results increased portal pressure and collateral blood flow which causes the visceral bleeding in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and portal hypertension. The aim of the study is to evaluate the outcome of ursodeoxycholic acid (300mg),methionine (400mg)and abstinence in the treatment of alcoholic liver disease and the objective is to achieve the following end points(primary end point -change from baseline in particular LFT parameter-albumin and CBP parameters such as PT and INR ratio)(secondary end point- effects of ursodeoxycholic acid and methionine on other LFT parameters such as total bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT along with changes in the  above parameters in patients with abstinence.). In particular Liver function test parameters meant for the study are Bilirubin, SGOT, SGPT, Albumin. By assessing the particular parameters of the study, we concluded the following outcomes: At the end of the study, group 1 has shown 60% improvement, Group 2 has shown 50 % improvement from baseline to the end of the study. Group 3 has not shown much improvement when compared to the study medications i.e there is an overall improvement of only 30 % from baseline. By the end of the study scruitinizing all the laboratory parameters it is   observed that of the three groups, group 1 and group 2 has better treatment outcomes than group 3 and hence it is concluded that medical intervention is more effective over complete abstinence and concluded that early medical intervention is a better option for better outcomes.