Amir Rashid, Arif Zaheer, Muhammad Riaz, Agha Shabir Ali, Humayun Iqbal Khan.
Role of N-acetylcysteine in fulminant hepatic failure.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;5(2):270-3.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in fulminant hepatic failure. Setting: Department of Paediatrics, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore. Design: Quasi experimental study. Period: September 2008 to August 2010. Methods: Sixty patients with fulminant hepatic failure were divided in 2 groups. Group A was given N-acetylcyseine 140mg/kg loading dose followed by 70mg/kg four hourly for 17 doses. Group B received only IV fluids, appropriate nutrition and drugs if needed. Patients were followed on daily basis for changes in clinical parameters like stages of encephalopathy and papillaedema on fundoscopy. The outcome measures were duration of encephalopathy, duration of hospital stay and final outcome like survival or death. Results: The mean age of the patients in group A was 8.1±2.2 years and in group B was 8.3±2.2 years. The mean hospital stay in group A was 7.3±3.4 days and in group B was 9.1±3.4 days. The mean duration of encephalopathy of patients in group A was 5.4±2.5 days and in group B was 6.4±2.2 days. In the distribution of patients by final outcome, in group A, there were 24 (80%) patients who survived and 6 (20%) patients died. In group B, there were 19 (63.3%) patients who survived and 11 (36.7%) patients died.

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