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[Evaluation of the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine administered alone or in combination with activated charcoal in the treatment of acetaminophen overdoses].
- Source :
-
Gaceta medica de Mexico [Gac Med Mex] 1999 May-Jun; Vol. 135 (3), pp. 239-43. - Publication Year :
- 1999
-
Abstract
- Study Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (N-AC) alone or combined with multiple-dose activated charcoal (AC) in the treatment of acetaminophen (ACT) overdose.<br />Design: Prospective observational case series of 14 consecutive pediatric patients. Group A (n = 7) were treated only with N-AC and group B (n = 7) with N-AC combined with AC. Plasma ACT concentrations were measured at 0.0, 24 and 48 h. As a measure of ACT disappearance, half-life of elimination (t1/2 beta) and exogenous body clearance (ClB) were calculated.<br />Results: Group A, Initial and final mean ACT plasmatic levels were 27 micrograms/mL and 4 micrograms/mL; t1/2 beta of 17 h and ClB 0.640 mL.kg.min. Group B, 27 micrograms/mL and 0.66 microgram/mL; t1/2 beta of 10 h and ClB 1.092 mL.kg.min. For both t1/2 beta and ClB differences, p < 0.05 (SS).<br />Conclusion: N-AC significantly decreased the plasma ACT levels in both treatments; however, there were several advantages with the combined therapy: AC enhanced the efficacy of N-AC according with the higher eliminatión of the overdosed drug (97.6% vs. 85.2%), the t1/2 beta decreased 42%, and the ClB increased 70% in relation to the group A. Data of this study suggested that N-AC plus AC is more effective than N-AC alone in enhancing ACT elimination in overdosed patients and that it provided additional hepatoprotective benefit.
Details
- Language :
- Spanish; Castilian
- ISSN :
- 0016-3813
- Volume :
- 135
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Gaceta medica de Mexico
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 10425820