Table 2.

Summary of important studies evaluating the molecular adsorbents recirculating system (MARS) device

Study	Patient population	Study design	End-point	Outcome
Stange et al (2000)62	ACLF with intrahepatic cholestasis (bilirubin>20 mg/dl) (n = 26)	Prospective case series	Inhospital mortality	UNOS 2a status: 7/16 survived. UNOS 2b status: 10/10 survived
Mitzner et al (2000)54	Type I hepatorenal syndrome (n = 13)	Two centre, randomised, controlled	30 day mortality	Mortality: controls 100% (day 7); MARS 62.5% (day 7) and 75% (day 30) (p<0.01)
Heemann et al (2002)55	ACLF (n = 24)	Two centre, randomised, controlled	Primary: reduction of serum bilirubin. Secondary: inhospital mortality	Improvement in bilirubin and 30 day survival with MARS (11/12 v 6/11 controls; p<0.05)
Jalan et al (2003)63	ACLF due to acute alcoholic hepatitis (Maddrey’s discriminant function >32) (n = 8)	Prospective case series	Inhospital mortality	Improvement in 3 month predicted mortality (pre-MARS 76%, post-MARS 27%). 3 month survival: 4/8