Authors' objectives:

To assess the medical efficacy and safety of extracorporeal albumin dialysis using the MARS® system in the treatment of acute and acute-on-chronic liver failure (AoCLF), and to estimate the cost of this technology versus standard medical treatment.

Authors' recommendations: The MARS® system reduces mortality non-significantly, both in patients with acute and those with acute-on-chronic liver failure. Its principal indication would be in patients with severe liver failure, while the organ regenerates or is transplanted. It use should, in all cases, be limited in time, usually to sessions of six to eight hours daily. This technique can be considered safe and well-tolerated by patients, with adverse effects similar to those that appear in the control group. In addition, it brings about favourable haemodynamic changes in patients, reduces the grade of hepatic encephalopathy and that of plasma concentration of bilirubin and creatinine, though these levels tend to rise when treatment is halted. From an economic point of view, the MARS® system yielded an important saving per every surviving patient.

Authors' methods: review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.sergas.es/MostrarContidos_N3_T02.aspx?IdPaxina=60058&uri=/Docs/Avalia-t/CT2008_02MARS.pdf&hifr=1200&seccion=0

Year Published: 2009

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Spain

Organisation Name: Scientific Advice Unit, avalia-t; The Galician Health Knowledge Agency (ACIS)

Contact Address: Conselleria de Sanidade, Xunta de Galicia, San Lazaro s/n 15781 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Tel: 34 981 541831; Fax: 34 981 542854;

Contact Name: avalia-t@sergas.es

Contact Email: avalia-t@sergas.es

Copyright: Galician Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AVALIA-T)