Efficacy and safety of intravenous L-ornithine L-aspartate in patients with grade III and IV hepatic encephalopathy

Introduction and Objectives

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common and serious complication of cirrhosis, associated with high morbidity and mortality. Ammonia and inflammation are the main triggers of HE. The use of L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) provides precursor substances for glutamine synthesis in perivenous cells, accelerating ammonia detoxification.

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) in patients with grade III-IV hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

Materials and Patients

Retrospective and analytical study of patients with grade III-IV hepatic encephalopathy (HE).

All patients received intravenous LOLA 50 g for up to 48 hours, excluding those with renal failure. Descriptive statistics with measures of central tendency and dispersion were performed. Improvement was considered when HE regressed by at least one grade, and adverse events were evaluated.

Results

A total of 32 patients were included, with a mean age of 55 years ± 9.6. There were 13 females (40.6%) and 19 males (59.4%). Eight patients (25%) were classified as Child-Pugh B, while 24 patients (75%) were classified as Child-Pugh C. The mean MELD score was 19.03 ± 6.08, and the mean MELD NA score was 7.19 ± 7.19. The most common etiology was alcohol-related (43.8%), followed by MAFLD (29.1%) and viral (9.5%). All patients had grade III hepatic encephalopathy. The precipitating factors were sepsis (53%), hemorrhage (25%), constipation (12.5%), diuretics (6.3%), and electrolyte imbalance (3.1%). A total of 24 patients (75%) responded to the treatment, while 8 patients (25%) did not. Nineteen patients were found to have some degree of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). No adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

The use of intravenous LOLA for the treatment of grade III-IV hepatic encephalopathy iseffective and safe. These results support the use of LOLA as a therapeutic option in the management of hepatic encephalopathy in this patient population.