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Xu M, Chen Y, Artru F. Acute decompensation of cirrhosis versus acute-on-chronic liver failure: What are the clinical implications? United European Gastroenterol J 2024; 12:194-202. [PMID: 38376886 PMCID: PMC10954432 DOI: 10.1002/ueg2.12538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
It is essential to identify the subgroup of patients who experience poorer outcomes in order to adapt clinical management effectively. In the context of liver disease, the earlier the identification occurs, the greater the range of therapeutic options that can be offered to patients. In the past, patients with acute decompensation (AD) of chronic liver disease were treated as a homogeneous group, with emphasis on identifying those at the highest risk of death. In the last 15 years, a differentiation has emerged between acute-on-chronic liver failure syndrome (ACLF) and AD, primarily due to indications that the latter is linked to a less favorable short-term prognosis. Nevertheless, the definition of ACLF varies among the different knowledge societies, making it challenging to assess its true impact compared with AD. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to provide a detailed analysis emphasizing the critical importance of identifying ACLF in the field of advanced liver disease. We will discuss the differences between Eastern and Western approaches, particularly in relation to the occurrence of liver failure and disease onset. Common characteristics, such as the dynamic nature of the disease course, will be highlighted. Finally, we will focus on two key clinical implications arising from these considerations: the prevention of ACLF before its onset and the clinical management strategies once it develops, including liver transplantation and withdrawal of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manman Xu
- Fourth Department of Liver Disease (Difficult & Complicated Liver Diseases and Artificial Liver Center), Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated to Capital, Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Liver Failure and Artificial Liver Treatment Research, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Fourth Department of Liver Disease (Difficult & Complicated Liver Diseases and Artificial Liver Center), Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated to Capital, Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Municipal Key Laboratory of Liver Failure and Artificial Liver Treatment Research, Beijing, China
| | - Florent Artru
- Institute of Liver Studies, King's College Hospital, London, UK
- Liver Disease Department, Rennes University Hospital, Rennes, France
- Rennes University and Inserm NuMeCan UMR 1317, Rennes, France
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Pompili E, Baldassarre M, Bedogni G, Zaccherini G, Iannone G, De Venuto C, Pratelli D, Palmese F, Domenicali M, Caraceni P. Predictors of clinical trajectories of patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis. An external validation of the PREDICT study. Liver Int 2024; 44:72-82. [PMID: 37718730 DOI: 10.1111/liv.15734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS The PREDICT study recently showed that acutely decompensated (AD) patients with cirrhosis can present three different clinical phenotypes in the 90 days after admission: (1) pre-ACLF, developing acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF); (2) unstable decompensated cirrhosis (UDC), being re-admitted for AD without ACLF and (3) stable decompensated cirrhosis (SDC), not presenting readmission or ACLF. This study aimed to externally validate the existence of these three distinct trajectories and to identify predictors for the occurrence of each trajectory. METHODS Baseline data, 3-month ACLF and readmission incidence and 1-year survival were analysed in a prospective cohort of patients admitted for AD. A multinomial multivariable model was used to evaluate the association between baseline features and clinical trajectories. RESULTS Of the 311 patients enrolled, 55% met the criteria for SDC, 18% for UDC and 27% for pre-ACLF, presenting a significantly different 1-year mortality: pre-ACLF 65%, UDC 46%, SDC 21% (p < .001). The presence of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) was associated with UDC (p = .043), while the absence of ascites to SDC (p = .017). Among laboratory parameters, an increase in MELD-Na (p = .001) and C-reactive protein (p = .009) and a decrease in haemoglobin (p = .004) and albumin (p = .008) levels were associated with pre-ACLF. CONCLUSION The present study confirms that AD patients have three different clinical trajectories with different mortality rates. Besides the severity of cirrhosis, the association with C-reactive protein supports the predominant role of systemic inflammation in ACLF pathophysiology. Finally, HE is associated with the UDC phenotype highlighting the need for better management of this complication after discharge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pompili
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Unit of Semeiotics, Liver and Alcohol-Related Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Maurizio Baldassarre
- Unit of Semeiotics, Liver and Alcohol-Related Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Centre for Applied Biomedical Research (CRBA), Alma Mater Studiorum of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giorgio Bedogni
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Primary Health Care, Internal Medicine Unit Addressed to Frailty and Aging, "S. Maria delle Croci" Ravenna Hospital, AUSL Romagna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Giacomo Zaccherini
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Unit of Semeiotics, Liver and Alcohol-Related Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Iannone
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Unit of Semeiotics, Liver and Alcohol-Related Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Clara De Venuto
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Unit of Semeiotics, Liver and Alcohol-Related Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Dario Pratelli
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Unit of Semeiotics, Liver and Alcohol-Related Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Palmese
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Primary Health Care, Internal Medicine Unit Addressed to Frailty and Aging, "S. Maria delle Croci" Ravenna Hospital, AUSL Romagna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Marco Domenicali
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Primary Health Care, Internal Medicine Unit Addressed to Frailty and Aging, "S. Maria delle Croci" Ravenna Hospital, AUSL Romagna, Ravenna, Italy
| | - Paolo Caraceni
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Unit of Semeiotics, Liver and Alcohol-Related Diseases, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Kalo E, Baig A, Gregg E, George J, Read S, Ma WS, Ahlenstiel G. A novel, nurse-led 'one stop' clinic for patients with liver cirrhosis results in fewer liver-related unplanned readmissions and improved survival. BMC Gastroenterol 2023; 23:356. [PMID: 37845625 PMCID: PMC10578021 DOI: 10.1186/s12876-023-02986-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Delivering effective secondary preventive and integrated care has the potential to break the revolving-door phenomenon of frequent readmissions in patients with advanced chronic liver disease. To address this, we launched the Care Coordination of Liver Disease (CCoLD) pilot, a novel nurse-led cirrhosis clinic in Western Sydney. METHODS AND ANALYSIS Following an index presentation to Blacktown or Mount Druitt hospitals (BMDH), patients (n = 89, matched by age, sex, and MELD-NA) were consecutively either followed up by the CCoLD clinical nurse consultant (intervention cohort) or received standard care (control cohort). Controlled evaluation of the impact of the nurse-led clinic was carried out for a 3-month period including readmission rates, survival, and cost effectiveness. RESULTS The inaugural nurse-led clinic led to improvement in patient-level outcomes including a reduction in unplanned liver-related readmissions (2.08% for intervention cohort vs 12.2% for control cohort, p < 0.01), and mortality at 30 days (0% for intervention cohort vs 7.3% for control cohort, p = 0.03). Similar trends were observed at 90 days from index discharge. No deaths were observed in the intervention cohort as compared to the control cohort at 90 days (0% versus 7.3%, p = 0.03), while unplanned liver-related readmissions were 10.41% for the intervention cohort vs 19.5% for the control cohort (p = 0.115). Moreover, time to readmission was significantly longer in the intervention cohort, resulting in an overall cost-effective intervention. CONCLUSION These findings highlight the significant impact of optimised care-coordination. A nurse-led clinic can deliver patient-centred, goal-directed, and cost-effective secondary prevention and care. A multicentre randomised trial for wider evaluation of these findings is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Kalo
- Blacktown Clinical School and Research Centre, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, 18 Blacktown Road, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia
- Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia
| | - Asma Baig
- Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia
| | - Emily Gregg
- Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia
| | - Jacob George
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
- Westmead Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Scott Read
- Blacktown Clinical School and Research Centre, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, 18 Blacktown Road, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia
- Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia
| | - Wai-See Ma
- Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia
| | - Golo Ahlenstiel
- Blacktown Clinical School and Research Centre, School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, 18 Blacktown Road, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia.
- Blacktown Hospital, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown, NSW, 2148, Australia.
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.
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