Gastroenterology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Oral naltrexone treatment for cholestatic pruritus: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
The efficacy of currently available therapeutic agents for cholestatic pruritus is often disappointing. The aim of this study was to assess the antipruritic effect of naltrexone, an oral opiate receptor antagonist. ⋯ For patients with cholestatic liver disease and itching, refractory to regular antipruritic therapy, oral naltrexone may be an effective and well-tolerated alternative.
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Arginine deficiency may underlie the cellular immune depression after surgery in obstructive jaundice, which is associated with gut-derived endotoxemia. The aim of this study was to study arginine metabolism in the bile duct-ligated rat (BDL) after laparotomy. ⋯ The study concluded that arginine deficiency in BDL rats after surgery is caused by high plasma liver arginase activity. Cholestyramine prevented the arginine deficiency by reducing plasma arginase activity through the inhibition of additional endotoxin-mediated hepatocellular damage after surgery in BDL rats.