Steroids or pentoxifylline for alcoholic hepatitis (STOPAH): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Alcoholic hepatitis is the most florid presentation of alcohol-related liver disease. In its severe form, defined by a Maddrey's discriminant function (DF) ≥32, the 28-day mortality rate is approximately 35%. A number of potential treatments have been subjected to clinical trials, of which two, corticosteroids and pentoxifylline, may have therapeutic benefit. The role of corticosteroids is controversial as trial results have been inconsistent, whereas the role of pentoxifylline requires confirmation as only one previous placebo-controlled trial has been published.

Methods/design

STOPAH is a multicentre, double-blind, factorial (2 × 2) trial in which patients are randomised to one of four groups:1. Group A: placebo / placebo2. Group B: placebo / prednisolone3. Grou

SUBMITTER: Forrest E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3766225 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature