[Corticoid therapy in the treatment of acute alcoholic hepatitis. Results of a meta-analysis]

Abstract

A meta-analysis of 10 randomized trials comparing steroid therapy with placebo or abstention was performed. Trials were pooled for severity of acute alcoholic hepatitis and time of analysis. Papers with survival analyses at one and three months were included. The robustness of this meta-analysis was analysed after exclusion of trials analysing survival at three months only, trials including mild forms, or atypical trials. Comparisons were made use the Der Simonian-Laird and Mantel-Haenszel-Peto methods. All results were statistically significant. However, if only one medium size trial were to be added, the results would no longer be significant. Taking into account the complications of steroid therapy, we conclude that further clinical trials are necessary to confirm the effectiveness of steroid therapy, especially for the group of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.