[A contribution to the treatment of chronic liver diseases (author's transl)].

89 randomized liver patients (42 with chronic hepatitis, 25 with hepatic cirrhosis, 14 with hepatitis of protracted evolution, 8 with alcohol-toxic adiposis hepatica, stage II) are reported, in whom considerable functionally and histologically identifiable therapeutic results were achieved by combined i.v. and oral treatment with thioctic acid. According to expectation, the most favourable results were found in alcohol-conditioned chronic liver diseases; however, also in chronic active hepatitis, resistant to treatment, a therapy could be promising. The oral therapy with thioctic acid, producing no side effects, is especially suited for the long-term outpatient treatment of chronic hepatitis and hepatic cirrhosis of toxic and posthepatic etiology.