From the Guidelines
If you have elevated liver enzymes or hepatitis, it is crucial to consult with your healthcare provider before continuing to take pancreatin and sodium tauroglyconate, as the decision to continue or discontinue these supplements depends on the specific cause and severity of your liver condition, your overall health status, and whether the supplements are part of your prescribed treatment plan 1.
Key Considerations
- Pancreatin contains digestive enzymes that help break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates, while sodium tauroglyconate is a bile salt that aids fat digestion.
- In some cases of liver dysfunction, these supplements might actually be prescribed to support digestion when the liver isn't producing adequate bile or enzymes.
- However, in other situations, they could potentially add stress to an already compromised liver.
- Liver enzyme levels should be monitored regularly while taking these supplements to ensure they aren't worsening your condition.
Monitoring and Stopping Criteria
- According to the consensus guidelines, patients with elevated liver enzymes or hepatitis should be monitored closely for signs of liver decompensation, and the study drug should be interrupted or discontinued if liver-related symptoms or immunologic reactions occur 1.
- The guidelines also recommend that an unblinded safety assessment should be performed by an external panel of experts if cases of suspected DILI occur in a clinical trial with no alternative causal explanation, and a temporary pause of the trial should be considered.
- An episode of suspected DILI leading to hepatic decompensation in a study subject should trigger permanent study drug discontinuation if another cause is not identified 1.
Conclusion Not Applicable - Direct Answer Only
Never stop prescribed medications without medical guidance, as sudden discontinuation could potentially worsen your condition.
Decision Making
- The decision to continue or discontinue pancreatin and sodium tauroglyconate should be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual's specific liver condition, overall health status, and medical history.
- It is essential to weigh the potential benefits of these supplements against the potential risks and to closely monitor liver enzyme levels and overall health status while taking these supplements 1.
From the Research
Elevated Liver Enzymes and Hepatitis
- Elevated liver enzymes can be caused by various factors, including excessive alcohol use, drugs, or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 2.
- In cases of chronic hepatitis, ursodeoxycholic acid has been shown to improve liver function tests and reduce serum liver enzymes 3, 4, 5.
- However, there is no direct evidence to suggest that pancreatin and sodium tauroglyconate can be taken to treat elevated liver enzymes and hepatitis.
Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis
- Ursodeoxycholic acid has been found to be effective in improving biochemical markers of liver function in patients with chronic active hepatitis 3.
- Taurine administration has also been suggested to be useful for chronic hepatitis, but its effects are not as significant as those of ursodeoxycholic acid 4.
- The combination of ursodeoxycholic acid and taurine has been found to produce only minor changes in the effects of ursodeoxycholic acid alone 4.
Management of Elevated Liver Enzymes
- Careful anamnesis and status, as well as systematic targeting of investigations, are often the quickest way to correct diagnosis and assessment of need for treatment 2.
- It is essential to determine the underlying cause of elevated liver enzymes to provide appropriate treatment and management.
Autoimmune-Associated Chronic Hepatitis C
- Ursodeoxycholic acid has been found to be effective in improving liver function tests and immunoserological markers in patients with autoimmune-associated chronic hepatitis C 6.
- The treatment of autoimmune-associated chronic hepatitis C with ursodeoxycholic acid has been shown to reduce AST, ALT, and gamma-GTP levels, as well as ANA and ASMA titres 6.