Methylprednisolone N Acetylcysteine in Hepatic Resections

Summary

This is a prospective double-blind randomized phase II clinical trial, with two groups of intervention (one with administration of N-acetylcysteine and the other with administration of methylprednisolone), and one group of placebo. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of N-acetylcysteine and Methylprednisolone in the modulation of warm ischemia of the liver during hepatic resection. In fact to avoid massive blood loss in liver surgery, continuous or intermittent vascular clamping of the hepatic hilum ('Pringle maneuver') is generally used with good results. However, as a consequence, ischemia and subsequent reperfusion result in complex metabolic, immunological, and microvascular changes, which together might contribute to hepatocellular damage and dysfunction. This phenomenon, known as ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury of the liver, is a complex multi-path process leading to the activation of some inflammatory pathways. Any patient candidate to liver resection will be enrolled in the study based on the aforementioned criteria. The primary objective of the study is to assess the real efficacy of Methylprednisolone and N-acetylcysteine in reducing the secondary damage from ischemia reperfusion injury in liver resection and in reducing inflammatory response. Secondary objective of the study is whether the reduction of ischemia-reperfusion injury results in: lower incidence of postoperative liver failure, improvement of postoperative liver function, and reduction of blood components transfusions. The randomization will be done the day before the operation. The drugs will be prepared in a blind fashion by the hospital pharmacy. The hospital pharmacy will provide to each patient a drip to make bolus of about an hour before the start of the liver resection and a syringe pump for an infusion of approximately 6 hours. If the patient is enrolled and randomized in the placebo arm, he/she will receive 250 ml of glucose 5% plus the infusion of 100 ml of glucose 5% If the patient is randomized in the Methylprednisolone arm, he/she will receive a dose of 500 mg in 250 ml of glucose 5% plus 100 mg of glucose 5%. If the patient is randomized in the N-acetylcysteine arm, he/she will receive a dose of 150 mg/kg in 250 ml of glucose 5% plus N-acetylcysteine 50 mg/kg in 100 ml glucose 5%. Systematic sampling of liver function tests will be done the day before the operation, at the end of the operation, as well as in postoperative day 1, 3, 5 and 7.

Conditions

• Ischemic Reperfusion Injury
• Insufficiency; Hepatic, Postoperative
• Liver Tumour

Interventions

DRUG

Methylprednisolone

Methylprednisolone is a glucocorticoid, which is an adrenocortical steroid. The chemical name for methylprednisolone is pregna-1,4-diene-3,20-dione, 11,17,21-trihydroxy-6-methyl-, (6α,11β)-and the molecular weight is 374.48. It is an analog of naturally occurring glucocorticoid (hydrocortisone and cortisone), which also have salt-retaining properties, are used as replacement therapy in adrenocortical deficiency states. Methylprednisolone is used for their potent anti-inflammatory effects in disorders of many organ systems, it modify the body's immune responses to diverse stimuli. The usual dosage of medication varies in relation to pathology for which is prescribed: normally varies from about 40-60 mg per day up to very high doses of 30 mg/kg bolus as used in spinal cord injury.

DRUG

N-acetylcysteine

Acetylcysteine is the N-acetyl derivative of the naturally occurring amino acid, L-cysteine. Chemically, it is N-acetyl-L-cysteine. The compound is a white crystalline powder which melts at 104°-110°C and has a very slight odor. Acetylcysteine may form cysteine, disulfides, and conjugates in vivo (N, N'-diacetylcysteine, N-acetylcysteine- cysteine, N-acetylcysteine-glutathione, N-acetylcysteine-protein, etc). No metabolites were identified. Acetylcysteine likely protects the liver by maintaining or restoring the glutathione levels, or by acting as an alternate substrate for conjugation with, and thus detoxification of, the reactive metabolite.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istituto Clinico Humanitas

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Guido Torzilli, PhD · Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia dell'Università degli Studi di Milano

• Giovanni Bordone, PhD · Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia dell'Università degli Studi di Milano

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2012-11-30

Primary Completion

2013-10-31

Completion

2013-11-30

Countries

• Italy

Study Locations