Cerebral blood flow velocity increases during a single treatment with the molecular adsorbents recirculating system in patients with acute on chronic liver failure

The aim of this uncontrolled pilot study is to determine the effect of treatment with the molecular adsorbents recirculating system (MARS) on cerebral perfusion in patients with acute on chronic liver failure (AOCLF). In 8 patients (median age, 44 years; range, 35 to 52 years) admitted with AOCLF, a single 10-hour MARS treatment was performed. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) was graded according to the Fogarty criteria. Changes in cerebral perfusion were determined by transcranial Doppler as mean flow velocity (V(mean)) in the middle cerebral artery. Arterial ammonia and bilirubin levels were monitored as a measure of the capability of the MARS to remove water-soluble and protein-bound toxins. During MARS treatment, HE grade improved in 3 patients and remained unchanged in 5 patients (P =.11). V(mean) increased from 42 cm/sec (range, 26 to 59 cm/sec) to 72 cm/sec (range, 52 to 106 cm/sec; P <.05), whereas arterial ammonia level decreased from 88 micromol/L (range, 45 to 117 micromol/L) to 71 micromol/L (range, 26 to 98 micromol/L; P <.05) and bilirubin level from 537 micromol/L (range, 324 to 877 micromol/L) to 351 micromol/L (range, 228 to 512 micromol/L; P <.05). In conclusion, cerebral perfusion is increased and levels of ammonia and bilirubin are reduced during MARS treatment in patients with AOCLF.