Sequential versus mono double plasma molecular adsorption system in acute-on-chronic liver failures: A propensity-score matched study

AIMS: Efficacy of sequential double plasma molecular adsorb system (DPMAS) and plasma exchange (PE) on patients with acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) has been rarely reported. We hereby reported the outcomes of a consecutive cohort of ACLF patients treated with sequential and mono DPMAS. METHOD: Patients treated with artificial liver support system between January 2011 and December 2016 in XiJing hospital were retrospectively reviewed. A toal of 125 ACLF patients either received mono (DPMAS only) or sequential DPMAS (PE followed by DPMAS) therapy. One to one propensity-score matching (PSM) was used to compare the effects of sequential and mono DPMAS on survival and liver function. RESULTS: After PSM, 80 patients were included with 40 patients in each group. Sequential therapy achieved significantly higher removal of total bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase than mono DPMAS, but stabilized international normalized ratio. The effects of both regimens on white blood cell, platelet, creatinine, and liver function scores were similar. Survival rate on 90-day was 50% in the sequential group and 47.5% in the mono group. CONCLUSION: For ACLF patients, sequential DPMAS and PE seemed to have a better effect on liver function improvement but provided no survival benefit compared with mono DPMAS.