[Effect of glucocorticoid treatment on the clinical outcome of patients with early-stage liver failure].

Objective To assess the therapeutic effect and safety of short-term low-dose glucocorticoid in the treatment of early-stage subacute liver failure.Methods Eight-seven patients with early-stage HBV-related subacute liver failure were randomized into glucocorticoid treatment group(n=43) and control group(n=44).The patients in the control group received lamivudine and routine integrated treatment),and those in the treatment group were given additional short-term low-dose glucocorticoid treatment.The endpoint measurements included the survival rate,mean hospital stay and adverse reactions to the treatments.Results The patients receiving glucocorticoid treatment exhibited significantly greater improvement of the liver functions than those in the control group(P0.05).The rate of successful treatment was significantly higher in treatment group with shortened hospital stay(P0.05),but the virological response rate and incidence of complications showed no significant differences between the two groups(P0.05).Conclusion The short-term low-dose glucocorticoid treatment can improve survival rate and shorten the mean hospital stay of patients with HBV-related early-stage subacute liver failure patients.Gulcocorticoid treatment is relatively safe when administered with strictly controlled indications and time window for intervention,