[Analysis of prognosis on patients with severe viral hepatitis using the model for end-stage liver disease].

Objective: To study the practical use of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) in clinics and to assess its validity in predicting the prognoses of patients with severe viral hepatitis and to determine the validity of the model by the concordance (c)-statistic which is equivalent to the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Also, the optimal cutoff values of MELD to discriminate between deceased and surviving patients were calculated using ROC curves.

Methods: 121 patients were divided into a plasma exchange (PE) group and a non-plasma exchange (non-PE) group, and they were graded with the MELD formula.

Analysis of prognosis on patients with severe viral hepatitis using the model for end-stage liver disease.

Aim: To study the practical use of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) on clinic and assess its validity by the concordance (C)-statistic in predicting the prognosis of the patient with severe viral hepatitis.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-one patients were divided into plasma exchange group and non-plasma exchange group, and were graded with MELD formula. The death rate was observed within 3 mo.

Effects of pentoxifylline on the hepatic content of TGF-beta1 and collagen in Schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis.

Aim: To study the effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) on the content of hepatic TGF-beta1, type I and type III collagen in schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis and its mechanism of anti-fibrosis.

Methods: Forty mice with schistosomiasis were divided into four groups: one group as control without any treatment, other three were treated with Praziquantel 500 mg/(kg x d)for 2 d, high dose PTX 360 mg/(kg x d) for 8 wk, and low dose PTX 180 mg/(kg x d) for 8 wk respectively. Immunohistochemical technique and multimedia color pathographic analysis system were applied to observe the content change of hepatic TGF-beta1, type I and type III collagen in schistosomiasis japonica mice with liver fibrosis before and after PTX treatment.