82020
document
Effects of ursodeoxycholic acid on serum liver enzymes in patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease . OBJECTIVE To study the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid ( UDCA ) on serum liver enzyme levels [ alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) and gamma-glutamyl transferase ( GGT ) ] in 101 patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease . METHODS Forty-nine patients were assigned to receive UDCA ( 450 mg/day ) over a period of 6 months and 52 to receive no treatment . RESULTS In the UDCA group , serum ALT and GGT levels significantly improved . ALT values decreased from pre-treatment levels of 157.0 +/- 62.6 IU/l to 82.5 +/- 46.4 IU/l ( P < 0.05 ) , and GGT fell from 141.3 +/- 86.2 IU/l to 66.0 +/- 49.5 IU/l ( P < 0.001 ) . No significant change occurred in the mean ALT and GGT levels in the control group . CONCLUSION Although our encouraging preliminary results must be validated by double-blind histological trials , UDCA may be an alternative treatment for patients who fail to respond to interferon therapy .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
ursodeoxycholic acid
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Intervention_Pharmacological
ursodeoxycholic acid ( UDCA )
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Intervention_Pharmacological
UDCA
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Intervention_Control
no treatment
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Intervention_Pharmacological
UDCA
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Intervention_Pharmacological
UDCA
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Intervention_Pharmacological
interferon therapy
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Outcome_Physical
serum liver enzymes
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Outcome_Physical
serum liver enzyme levels [ alanine aminotransferase ( ALT ) and gamma-glutamyl transferase ( GGT ) ]
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Outcome_Physical
serum ALT and GGT levels
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Outcome_Physical
ALT values
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Outcome_Physical
mean ALT and GGT levels
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Participant_Condition
hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease
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Participant_Sample-size
101
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Participant_Condition
hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease