[Treatment of post-hepatectomy hepatic cellular energy crisis in cirrhosis with ATP-MgCl2 administration].

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of ATP-MgCl2 for hepatic cellular energy crisis following hepatectomy in cirrhosis. In experimental study, cirrhotic rats, induced by subcutaneous injection of CCl4 twice a week for 10 weeks, received ATP-MgCl2 (12.4 mumoles) (ATP group) or saline (control group) at 2 hours after 68% hepatectomy. The hepatic cellular energy charge (EC) and arterial ketone body ratio (AKBR), which were good indicators to evaluate the hepatic cellular metabolism, and reticuloendothelial system (RES) function were significantly improved among ATP group at 24 hours after hepatectomy compared to the control group. Survival at one week was also significantly improved with ATP-MgCl2 treatment. In clinical study, ATP-MgCl2 (30-50 mumoles/kg) was infused intravenously to twenty hepatectomized cirrhotic patients. The hepatic cellular energy metabolism, studied using AKBR, and RES function as well as the clinical course were improved with ATP-MgCl2) treatment compared to those of the conventionally treated controls. These data indicate that ATP-MgCl2 is beneficial as one of the therapeutic approaches to improve the hepatic cellular energy crisis after hepatectomy which is the major cause of death following hepatectomy among cirrhotic patients.