A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY ON EFFECTS OF HEPATOPROTECTIVE AGENTS IN ALCOHOLIC LIVER DISEASE AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Drug utilization evaluation of hepatoprotective drugs is important in view of the spectrum of effect and associated risks with their therapy. The study was designed to evaluate the effects and adverse effects of hepatoprotective agents. A prospective, observational study was carried out for a period of 6 months at Osmania General Hospital (a tertiary care hospital). 120 patients were evaluated receiving corticosteroids, pentoxifylline, ursodeoxycholic acid for observing a trend in hepatic parameters and its outcomes. Ursodeoxycholic acid (81.66%) was the most commonly prescribed drug in almost all cases of alcoholic liver diseases followed by pentoxifylline (10%) in hepatorenal syndrome and then prednisolone (8.33%) in fatty liver. 67 cases were reported to have the significant drop in liver transaminases and bilirubin levels. Ursodeoxycholic acid resulted in a drop of 25% serum bilirubin and 35% drop in serum ALT (alanine transaminase) and 33% drop in serum AST (aspartate transaminase) in patients in a time gap of 1 week. Among 120 cases 94 were males (78.05%) and 26 females (21.04%) and maximum patients with alcoholic liver disease belonged to age group of 30-40 years (27.6%). Ursodeoxycholic acid (300 mg once daily) is used as an off-label drug for all types of alcoholic liver disease and also for viral hepatitis. Though Ursodeoxycholic acid showed a significant drop in liver transaminases and serum bilirubin levels in cirrhotic patients a better alternative lie in liver transplantation as long as they remain abstinent from alcohol. Keywords: Alcoholic liver diseases, Hepatoprotective agents, Liver transaminases, Bilirubin, Paired t-test