Adjuvant Fuzheng Huayu Capsule Reduces the Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Patients with Hepatitis B‐Caused Cirrhosis

Abstract

Aim. Fuzhenghuayu (FZHY) capsule can inhibit the progression of cirrhosis. This study explored whether FZHY can reduce the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis B-caused cirrhosis (HBC) undergoing antiviral therapy. Methods. A retrospective review of 842 patients with HBC between 2011 and 2015 was performed, including 270 treated with FZHY combined with nucleos (t) ide analogues (NAs) and 572 with NAs alone. The incidence of HCC was compared between the FZHY (n = 259) and control (n = 259) groups using 1 : 1 propensity score (PS) matching. The incidence of HCC in patients with HBC with different Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) classifications and Toronto HCC risk index (THRI) scores was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier curves. Results. The 5-year cumulative incidence of HCC before and after PS matching was 151 (17.9%) and 86 (16.6%), respectively. In PS-matched samples, the multivariate Cox proportional-hazards model indicated that the FZHY group demonstrated a significantly lower risk for HCC than the control group (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 0.32, 95% CI 0.19–0.53 P < 0.001 ). The risk of HCC diminished with increased duration of FZHY use. The stratified analysis revealed that the FZHY group, regardless of CTP classification, benefited significantly from FZHY therapy. Patients in the medium- and high-THRI risk groups were the dominant population for FZHY. Conclusions. FZHY combined with NAs was associated with a significantly lower risk of HCC than NAs alone in patients with HBC, which supports the integration of FZHY with antiviral treatment into clinical practice.

Traditional Herbal Medicines, Bioactive Metabolites, and Plant Products Against COVID-19: Update on Clinical Trials and Mechanism of Actions

“…The Fuzheng Huayu capsule or tablet is a patented Chinese herbal medicine formulated after decades of laboratory and clinical study by the Institute of Liver disease, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Shanghai Modern Pharmaceutical Company developed composite capsules that are prescribed for treating a wide spectrum of hepatic disorders (Shi et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2020) Semen Persicae], and Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino from Cucurbitaceae family (known as 'jiao-gu-lan') (Shi et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2020).…”

“…The Shanghai Modern Pharmaceutical Company developed composite capsules that are prescribed for treating a wide spectrum of hepatic disorders (Shi et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2020) Semen Persicae], and Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino from Cucurbitaceae family (known as 'jiao-gu-lan') (Shi et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2020). In treating chronic liver disorders, an FZHY capsule can ameliorate the complications caused by viral hepatitis B and C, which gives a ray of hope about its antiviral efficacy (Chen et al, 2019).…”

Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with hepatitis B-caused cirrhosis

“…The diagnostic criteria for liver cirrhosis and HCC have been described in an article previously published by our research group [13]. NLR was calculated as the absolute neutrophil count divided by the absolute lymphocyte count.…”

Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio and the risk of 30-day mortality in patients with overt hepatic encephalopathy

“…The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and MELD-Na scores were calculated according to the previously published literature [15,16]. The diagnosis of cirrhosis was made by liver biopsy, endoscopy, radiological evidence of portal hypertension or cirrhosis (ultrasound, computed tomography or MRI) and/or signs of the complications related to portal hypertension (ascites, HE and upper gastrointestinal bleeding [GIB]) [17].…”