Treatment of fulminant viral hepatitis with anti-lymphocyte gamma globulins
Milazzo, F.; Vigevani, G.M.; Resta, M.; Vitali, D.; Lorenzelli, A.
Bollettino dell'Istituto Sieroterapico Milanese 58(3): 254-259
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-2547 PMID: 518759 Document Number: 142436
Ten patients affected by fulminant viral hepatitis (F.V.H.) were treated with anti-lymphocyte globulins (A.L.G.) besides peritoneal dialysis (P.D.) and exchange blood transfusion (E.T.). Two patients awoke transiently; six recovered from F.V.H., but two of them died afterwards due to later complications. The total of complete recovery was 40%; this result is compared with those previously obtained by the Authors in 38 patients treated only with P.D. and E.T. (28.9% complete recovery), and in seven patients treated with P.D., E.T. and human anti-HBsAg gamma globulins (28.5% complete recovery). The treatment with A.L.G. was performed because of the discouraging results until now obtained with the various liver support systems and is based on the accepted view that lymphocytes might be the true effectors of cell necrosis in F.V.H.