Treatment of alcoholic hepatic steatosis with metadoxine. Preliminary results on the evaluation of the effects of the drug by an ultrasonographic study
Sergiacomo, L.; Ciancaglini, R.; Orlando, D.; Delle Monache, G.; Pesa, O.
La Clinica Terapeutica 119(2): 133-141
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0009-9074 PMID: 3539468 Document Number: 273278
The above research was intended to assess the effect of a new recently introduced molecule, metadoxine, on a morphologic aspect of alcoholic liver disease, i.e. steatosis. Assessment was done by ultrasonography and laboratory tests before and after thirty days' treatment of outpatients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse whose echographic findings were suggestive of steatosis and whose main laboratory tests were altered. Patients were prescribed 1 g metadoxine daily. Even without changes in dietary and other intake, metadoxine treatment brought about changes in the echostructure of the liver indicating marked reduction of lipid content in almost all subjects examined. Laboratory findings, too, showed a consistent tendency towards normalization. Tolerance was optimal. Finally, it should be pointed out that the above research confirmed the reliability of ultrasonography in standardized conditions for the diagnosis of diffuse liver disease and the good correlation with laboratory findings.