Propylthiouracil for alcoholic liver disease
Abstract
Background
Randomised clinical trials have addressed the question whether propylthiouracil has any beneficial effects in patients with alcoholic liver disease.
Objectives
To assess the beneficial and harmful of propylthiouracil for patients with alcoholic liver disease.
Search methods
The Cochrane Hepato‐Biliary Group Controlled Trials Register (May 2005), The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in The Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2005), MEDLINE (1950 to May 2005), EMBASE (1980 to May 2005), and The Web of Science (May 2005) were searched. These electronic searches were combined with full text searches. Manufacturers and researchers in the field were also contacted.
Selection criteria
Randomised clinical trials studying patients with alcoholic steatosis, alcoholic fibrosis, alcoholic hepatitis, and/or alcoholic cirrhosis were included irrespective of blinding, publication status, or language. Interventions encompassed propylthiouracil at any dose versus placebo or no intervention.
Data collection and analysis
All analyses were performed according to the intention‐to‐treat method in RevMan Analyses. The methodological quality of the randomised clinical trials was evaluated by components (generation of the allocation sequence; allocation concealment; double blinding; follow‐up).
Main results
Combining the results of six randomised clinical trials including 710 patients demonstrated no significant effects of propylthiouracil versus placebo on all‐cause mortality (relative risks (RR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.66 to 1.30), liver‐related mortality (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.29), complications of the liver disease, or liver histology. Propylthiouracil was associated with a non‐significant increased risk of non‐serious adverse events and with the seldom occurrence of serious adverse events (leukopenia).
Authors' conclusions
We could not demonstrate any significant beneficial effect of propylthiouracil on all‐cause mortality, liver‐related mortality, liver complications, and liver histology of patients with alcoholic liver disease. Propylthiouracil was associated with adverse events. Confidence intervals were wide. Accordingly, there is no evidence for using propylthiouracil for alcoholic liver disease outside randomised clinical trials.
PICOs
Plain language summary
Evidence supporting or refuting propylthiouracil for alcoholic liver disease was not found
The majority of liver diseases are caused by alcohol in the Western world. Propylthiouracil ‐ an antithyroid drug that is used for patients with raised metabolism ‐ has been suggested as treatment for alcoholic liver disease. This systematic review could not demonstrate any significant effect of propylthiouracil on all‐cause mortality, liver‐related mortality, liver complications, and liver histology of patients with alcoholic liver disease. Propylthiouracil is associated with a non‐significant increase in non‐serious adverse events and with the seldom occurrence of serious adverse events. Accordingly, there seems to be no evidence for using propylthiouracil for alcoholic liver disease outside randomised clinical trials.
