Systemic inflammatory response syndrome in acute-on-chronic liver failure: Relevance of 'golden window': A prospective study

AKI in ACLF: navigating the complex therapeutic puzzle

INTRODUCTION

Acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is driven by the severity of systemic inflammation, acute portal hypertension driving circulatory dysfunction, hyperbilirubinemia, and toxicity of bile acids. The spectrum is mostly structural, associated with reduced response to vasoconstrictors. The progression is rapid, and need of renal replacement therapy and extracorporeal therapies may be required for the management. The development of renal failure is usually considered when defining the syndrome of ACLF.

AREAS COVERED

In the current review we discuss the pathophysiological basis, natural course, and response to the current therapeutic modalities and challenges in assessing and managing AKI in patients with ACLF. We conducted a comprehensive search of electronic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using keywords like lactate, NGAL, and PHTN, as well as CRRT, PLEX, ACLF, and AKI phases for our review. Peer-reviewed English papers that addressed our issue were considered.

EXPERT OPINION

The difficulties and specific management strategies for AKI in ACLF patients are discussed emphasizing the importance of customized protocols, risk assessment guided by biomarkers, and investigation of extracorporeal therapies that target bile acids.

Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in Hepatology: Indications, Techniques, and Practical Application

It is sobering that many liver failure patients die in the absence of liver transplantation (LT), and reducing its morbidity and mortality urgently needs more non-transplant treatment options. Among the several artificial liver support devices available, therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is the only one that improves survival in acute liver failure (ALF) patients. In many other disorders, data on survival benefits and successful bridging to transplant is encouraging. TPE removes the entire plasma, including damage-associated-molecular patterns, and replaces it with healthy donor fresh frozen plasma. In contrast, other artificial liver support systems (ALSS) correct the blood composition through dialysis techniques. TPE has become increasingly popular due to advances in apheresis techniques and a better understanding of its applicability in treating liver failure's pathophysiology. It provides metabolicdetoxification, and synthetic functions and modulates early innate immunity, fulfilling the role of ALSS. TPE is readily available in intensive care units, dialysis units, or blood banks and has enormous potential to improve survival outcomes. Hepatologists must take advantage of this treatment option by thoroughly understanding its most frequent indications and its rationale and techniques. This primer on TPE for liver clinicians covers its current clinical, technical, and practical applications, addresses the knowledge gaps, and provides future directions.

Effects of acetaminophen use on mortality of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome: secondary data mining based on the MIMIC-IV database

BACKGROUND

Acetaminophen is a commonly used analgesic after surgery, and its impact on prognosis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has not been studied. This study explores the association between the use of acetaminophen and the risk of mortality in patients with ARDS.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, 3,227 patients with ARDS who had or had not received acetaminophen were obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV, patients were divided into acetaminophen and non- acetaminophen groups. In-hospital mortality of ARDS patients was considered as primary end point. We used univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to assess the relationship of acetaminophen use and in-hospital mortality in patients with ARDS. Subgroup analysis was performed according to age, gender, and severity of ARDS.

RESULTS

Of the total patients, 2,438 individuals were identified as acetaminophen users. The median duration of follow-up was 10.54 (5.57, 18.82) days. The results showed that the acetaminophen use was associated with a decreased risk of in-hospital mortality [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57-0.78]. Across various subgroups of patients with ARDS based on age, gender, and severity, acetaminophen use exhibited an association with reduced risk of in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

Acetaminophen use was associated with in-hospital mortality of patients with ARDS. Acetaminophen therapy may represent a promising therapeutic option for ARDS patients and warrants further investigation.

Safety and efficacy of plasmapheresis in treatment of acute fatty liver of pregnancy-a systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a fatal disease occurring in 3rd trimester. The safety and efficacy of plasmapheresis/plasma exchange (PP/PE) as an adjunctive treatment in patients of AFLP has been studied. We performed systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the clinical parameters that included mortality rates and improvement of the biochemical parameters including Liver and Renal function enzymes, coagulopathy factors of AFLP patients.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane, CINAHL and Scopus, ClinicalTrials.gov. RevMan statistical software was used for meta-analysis.

Results

Pooled survival proportion for AFLP patients treated with PP/PE was 87.74% (95% CI: 82.84 to 91.65). Efficacy of PP/PE was studied by its effect on mortality. PE/PP was associated with the reduction in the mortality with pooled odds ratio of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.08 to 3.09) with I2 = 86%. Sensitivity analysis after excluding outlier study, yielded a pooled odds ratio of 0.19 (95% CI: 0.02 to 1.52) with reduced heterogeneity (I2 = 63%). Biochemical parameter analysis demonstrated significant improvement post-PP/PE treatment, including decreased bilirubin (MD: 8.30, 95% CI: 6.75 to 9.84), AST (MD: 107.25, 95% CI: 52.45 to 162.06), ALT (MD: 111.08, 95% CI: 27.18 to 194.97), creatinine (MD: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.39 to 1.93), and Prothrombin time (MD: 5.08, 95% CI: 2.93 to 7.22).

Discussion

Despite some heterogeneity, PP/PE shows promise in improving biochemical parameters in AFLP patients. PE can serve as a therapeutic approach for AFLP particularly in severe or refractory cases. PE provides the time for organ to recover and helps in creating a homeostatic environment for liver. Large RCTs and propensity matched studies are needed to better understand the safety and efficacy of the treatment.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022315698.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease patients: a disease multiplier

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome of liver failure due to an acute hepatic insult leading to liver failure with or without extra-hepatic organ failure in a patient of chronic liver disease (CLD) with or without cirrhosis presenting for the first time. The definition is still with controversy; hence, homogeneity and clarity of the case is an unmet need. There is a paradigm shift noted as far as the etiology of CLD is concerned with rise in metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and ethanol as the dominant cause even in developing countries. MAFLD is the change in nomenclature from NAFLD to justify the metabolic derangement in these group of patients. The shift from an exclusion-based criteria to one that has evolved to a diagnosis that requires positive criteria has profound significance. Clearly there is a difference in terms of its prevalence, disease progression, and liver-related events, as well as management of metabolic risk factors and MAFLD itself which requires further understanding. In tandem with the global rise in MAFLD, the incidence of MAFLD-ACLF is increasing. Excessive alcohol consumption causes metabolic and toxic injury to the liver resulting in nearly similar pathway of fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis. The interaction of MAFLD as an additional underlying chronic liver injury in ACLF patients is complex due to the presence of metabolic risk factors that are unique to MAFLD. There is lack of clarity on how MAFLD affects the clinical course of ACLF due to scarcity of this specific data. This narrative review aims to understand the unique effects, consequences, and management of MAFLD as the chronic liver injury component in ACLF.

Dynamic analysis of acute deterioration in chronic liver disease patients using modified quick sequential organ failure assessment

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) is believed to identify patients at risk of poor outcomes in those with suspected infection. We aimed to evaluate the ability of modified qSOFA (m-qSOFA) to identify high-risk patients among those with acutely deteriorated chronic liver disease (CLD), especially those with acute-onchronic liver failure (ACLF).

METHODS

We used data from both the Korean Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (KACLiF) and the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) cohorts. qSOFA was modified by replacing the Glasgow Coma Scale with hepatic encephalopathy, and an m-qSOFA ≥2 was considered high.

RESULTS

Patients with high m-qSOFA had a significantly lower 1-month transplant-free survival (TFS) in both cohorts and higher organ failure development in KACLiF than those with low m-qSOFA (Ps<0.05). Subgroup analysis by ACLF showed that patients with high m-qSOFA had lower TFS than those with low m-qSOFA. m-qSOFA was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratios, HR=2.604, 95% confidence interval, CI 1.353-5.013, P=0.004 in KACLiF and HR=1.904, 95% CI 1.484- 2.442, P<0.001 in AARC). The patients with low m-qSOFA at baseline but high m-qSOFA on day 7 had a significantly lower 1-month TFS than those with high m-qSOFA at baseline but low m-qSOFA on day 7 (52.6% vs. 89.4%, P<0.001 in KACLiF and 26.9% vs. 61.5%, P<0.001 in AARC).

CONCLUSION

Baseline and dynamic changes in m-qSOFA may identify patients with a high risk of developing organ failure and short-term mortality among CLD patients with acute deterioration.

APASL clinical practice guidelines on the management of acute kidney injury in acute-on-chronic liver failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome that is characterized by the rapid development of organ failures predisposing these patients to a high risk of short-term early death. The main causes of organ failure in these patients are bacterial infections and systemic inflammation, both of which can be severe. For the majority of these patients, a prompt liver transplant is still the only effective course of treatment. Kidneys are one of the most frequent extrahepatic organs that are affected in patients with ACLF, since acute kidney injury (AKI) is reported in 22.8-34% of patients with ACLF. Approach and management of kidney injury could improve overall outcomes in these patients. Importantly, patients with ACLF more frequently have stage 3 AKI with a low rate of response to the current treatment modalities. The objective of the present position paper is to critically review and analyze the published data on AKI in ACLF, evolve a consensus, and provide recommendations for early diagnosis, pathophysiology, prevention, and management of AKI in patients with ACLF. In the absence of direct evidence, we propose expert opinions for guidance in managing AKI in this very challenging group of patients and focus on areas of future research. This consensus will be of major importance to all hepatologists, liver transplant surgeons, and intensivists across the globe.

Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of end-stage liver disease complicated by infections

End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome and when complicated with infection the mortality is markedly increased. In patients with ESLD, bacterial or fungal infection can induce or aggravate the occurrence or progression of liver decompensation. Consequently, infections are among the most common complications of disease deterioration. There is an overwhelming need for standardized protocols for early diagnosis and appropriate management for patients with ESLD complicated by infections. Asia Pacific region has the largest number of ESLD patients, due to hepatitis B and the growing population of alcohol and NAFLD. Concomitant infections not only add to organ failure and high mortality but also to financial and healthcare burdens. This consensus document assembled up-to-date knowledge and experience from colleagues across the Asia-Pacific region, providing data on the principles as well as evidence-based current working protocols and practices for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ESLD complicated by infections.

Liver Transplantation in Chronic Liver Disease and Acute on Chronic Liver Failure- Indication, Timing and Practices

Liver transplantation (LT) is the second most common solid organ transplantation worldwide. LT is considered the best and most definitive therapeutic option for patients with decompensated chronic liver disease (CLD), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), acute liver failure (ALF), and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The etiology of CLD shows wide geographical variation, with viral hepatitis being the major etiology in the east and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) in the west. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is on an increasing trend and is expected to be the most common etiology on a global scale. Since the first successful LT, there have been radical changes in the indications for LT. In many circumstances, not just the liver disease itself but factors such as extra-hepatic organ dysfunction or failures necessitate LT. ACLF is a dynamic syndrome that has extremely high short-term mortality. Currently, there is no single approved therapy for ACLF, and LT seems to be the only feasible therapeutic option for selected patients at high risk of mortality. Early identification of ACLF, stratification of patients according to disease severity, aggressive organ support, and etiology-specific treatment approaches have a significant impact on post-transplant outcomes. This review briefly describes the indications, timing, and referral practices for LT in patients with CLD and ACLF.

Acute decompensation of cirrhosis versus acute-on-chronic liver failure: What are the clinical implications?

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.

Growing Evidence for Survival Benefit with Plasma Exchange to Treat Liver Failure

Plasma exchange (PLEX) to treat liver failure patients is gaining increasing momentum in recent years. Most reports have used PLEX to treat patients with acute liver failure (ALF) or acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF). Etiology of liver disease has an important bearing on the prognosis of the illness in these patients. The accruing data suggest survival benefit with PLEX compared with standard medical treatment to treat ALF and ACLF patients, in randomised controlled trials done world-over. The American College of Apheresis now recommends high-volume PLEX as first-line treatment for ALF patients. Most matched cohort studies done from India which recruited patients with a specific etiology of ALF or ACLF report survival benefit with PLEX compared to standard medical treatment. The survival benefit with PLEX appears more pronounced in ALF patients rather than in ACLF patients. Systematic analysis of the efficacy of PLEX to treat ALF and ACLF patients is needed. There is also a need to identify dynamic predictive scores to assess which patients with ALF or ACLF will respond to PLEX.

The role and mechanisms of macrophage polarization and hepatocyte pyroptosis in acute liver failure

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a severe liver disease caused by disruptions in the body's immune microenvironment. In the early stages of ALF, Kupffer cells (KCs) become depleted and recruit monocytes derived from the bone marrow or abdomen to replace the depleted macrophages entering the liver. These monocytes differentiate into mature macrophages, which are activated in the immune microenvironment of the liver and polarized to perform various functions. Macrophage polarization can occur in two directions: pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages. Controlling the ratio and direction of M1 and M2 in ALF can help reduce liver injury. However, the liver damage caused by pyroptosis should not be underestimated, as it is a caspase-dependent form of cell death. Inhibiting pyroptosis has been shown to effectively reduce liver damage induced by ALF. Furthermore, macrophage polarization and pyroptosis share common binding sites, signaling pathways, and outcomes. In the review, we describe the role of macrophage polarization and pyroptosis in the pathogenesis of ALF. Additionally, we preliminarily explore the relationship between macrophage polarization and pyroptosis, as well as their effects on ALF.

Mixed mode of artificial liver support in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Different modes of artificial liver support (ALS) therapy can improve the survival of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). This study aimed to compare the effects of mixed using different modes of ALS (MALS) and single using one mode of ALS (SALS) on 28- and 90-day survival rates of ACLF.

METHODS

Clinical data and survival times of patients with ACLF treated for ALS between January 1, 2018 and December 30, 2021 were retrospectively collected. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors of 28- and 90-day mortalities.

RESULTS

Of the 462 eligible ACLF patients, 388 belonged to the SALS group (76.3% male, 74.2% cirrhosis) and 74 to the MALS group (86.5% male, 71.6% cirrhosis). Comparison of 28-day and 90-day crude mortality between the SALS and MALS groups showed no significant differences (28-day: 20.4% vs. 14.9%, p = 0.27; 90-day: 44.6% vs. 52.7%, p = 0.20). After adjusting for confounders, the 28-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16-0.65) and 90-day mortality (aHR: 0.65, 95% CI 0.44-0.95) in the MALS group were significantly lower than those in the SALS group. These associations were consistently observed across pre-specified subgroups according to age, sex, etiology, and Child-Pugh grade. However, positive interactions between MALS and 90-day mortality were found between MALS and 90-day mortality in those with MELD score ≥ 22 and international normalized ratio ≥ 1.9 (p for interaction < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

MALS therapy significantly decreased 28- and 90-day mortalities of ACLF than SALS did, especially in advanced stages.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure: clinical course and liver transplantation

INTRODUCTION

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome characterized by intense systemic inflammatory response, multiple-organ failures, and high short-term mortality in patients with chronic liver disease. ACLF is dynamic and heterogeneous, and the prognosis is closely related to the clinical course. Currently, liver transplantation (LT) remains the only potential curative treatment that improves survival of ACLF patients.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we summarize the dynamic clinical course of ACLF and the relationship between the clinical course and the post-LT prognosis, especially the factors affecting the mortality after LT in severe ACLF patients and explore the optimal choice of LT therapy for ACLF patients, both to benefit patients the most and to avoid futile therapy.

EXPERT OPINION

ACLF is a dynamic disease with varying clinical phenotypes, and the global burden is high. Early identification of the clinical course is important to assess the prognosis and guide the treatment. The contradiction between shortage of liver donors and the large number of recipients makes it necessary for us to strictly screen out the recipients and identify patients who really need LT to save liver sources.

APASL-ACLF Research Consortium-Artificial Intelligence (AARC-AI) model precisely predicts outcomes in acute-on-chronic liver failure patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

We hypothesized that artificial intelligence (AI) models are more precise than standard models for predicting outcomes in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

METHODS

We recruited ACLF patients between 2009 and 2020 from APASL-ACLF Research Consortium (AARC). Their clinical data, investigations and organ involvement were serially noted for 90-days and utilized for AI modelling. Data were split randomly into train and validation sets. Multiple AI models, MELD and AARC-Model, were created/optimized on train set. Outcome prediction abilities were evaluated on validation sets through area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and class precision.

RESULTS

Among 2481 ACLF patients, 1501 in train set and 980 in validation set, the extreme gradient boost-cross-validated model (XGB-CV) demonstrated the highest AUC in train (0.999), validation (0.907) and overall sets (0.976) for predicting 30-day outcomes. The AUC and accuracy of the XGB-CV model (%Δ) were 7.0% and 6.9% higher than the standard day-7 AARC model (p < .001) and 12.8% and 10.6% higher than the day 7 MELD for 30-day predictions in validation set (p < .001). The XGB model had the highest AUC for 7- and 90-day predictions as well (p < .001). Day-7 creatinine, international normalized ratio (INR), circulatory failure, leucocyte count and day-4 sepsis were top features determining the 30-day outcomes. A simple decision tree incorporating creatinine, INR and circulatory failure was able to classify patients into high (~90%), intermediate (~60%) and low risk (~20%) of mortality. A web-based AARC-AI model was developed and validated twice with optimal performance for 30-day predictions.

CONCLUSIONS

The performance of the AARC-AI model exceeds the standard models for outcome predictions in ACLF. An AI-based decision tree can reliably undertake severity-based stratification of patients for timely interventions.

MELD score < 18 rule out 28-day ACLF development among inpatients with hepatitis B-related previous compensated liver disease

The acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) development is highly dynamic. Currently, no satisfactory algorithm identifies patients with HBV at risk of this complication. The aim of the study was to characterize ACLF development in hospitalized HBV-related patients without previous decompensation and to test the performance of traditional prognostic models in ruling out ACLF development within 28 days on admission we conducted a cohort study. Two multi-center cohorts with hospitalized HBV-related previous compensated patients were analyzed. Performances of MELD, MELD-Na, CLIF-C AD, and CLIF-C ACLF-D in ruling out ACLF development within 28 days were compared and further validated by ROC analyses. In the derivation cohort (n = 892), there were 102 patients developed ACLF within 28 days, with profound systemic inflammatory levels and higher 28-day mortality rate (31.4% vs. 1.0%) than those without ACLF development. The MELD score (cut-off = 18) achieved acceptable missing rate (missed/total ACLF development) at 2.9%. In the validation cohort (n = 1656), the MELD score (<18) was able to rule out ACLF development within 28 days with missing rate at 3.0%. ACLF development within 28 days were both lower than 1% (0.6%, derivation cohort; 0.5%, validation cohort) in patients with MELD < 18. While in patients with MELD ≥ 18, 26.6% (99/372, derivation cohort) and 17.8% (130/732, validation cohort) developed into ACLF within 28 days, respectively. While MELD-Na score cut-off at 20 and CLIF-AD score cut-off at 42 did not have consistent performance in our two cohorts. MELD < 18 was able to safely rule out patients with ACLF development within 28 days in HBV-related patients without previous decompensation, which had a high 28-day mortality.

The Inhibition of Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Alleviates Acute Liver Failure via Downregulation of NLRP3 Inflammasome

There is no effective treatment for acute liver failure (ALF) except for an artificial liver support system (ALSS) and liver transplant. Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) plays important immunoregulatory roles in the inflammatory diseases, but its possible function in ALF remains to be characterized. In this study, we detected the phosphorylation level of Btk in ALF mouse liver and analyzed the protective effects of Btk inhibitor on survival rate and liver damage in ALF mouse models. We measured the expression levels of various inflammatory cytokines in the ALF mouse liver and primary human monocytes. In addition, we examined the expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome in mouse models with or without Btk inhibition. Clinically, we observed the dynamic changes of Btk expression in PBMCs of ALSS-treated patients. Our results showed that Btk was upregulated significantly in the experimental ALF mouse models and that Btk inhibition alleviated liver injury and reduced the mortality in these models. The protective effect of Btk inhibitors on ALF mice partially depended on the suppression of NLRP3 inflammasome signaling. Clinical investigations revealed that the dynamic changes of Btk expression in PBMCs could predict the effect of ALSS treatment. Our work shows that Btk inhibition is an effective therapeutic strategy for ALF. Moreover, Btk is a useful indicator to predict the therapeutic effect of ALSS on liver failure, which might have great value in clinical practice.

Response Guided Slow Infusion of Albumin, Vasoconstrictors and Furosemide Improves Ascites Mobilization and Survival in Acute on Chronic Liver Failure: A Proof-of-Concept Study

Background and Aims

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) with increasing organ failure is associated with poor outcomes. Severely deranged systemic hemodynamics and decreased effective arterial blood volume contribute to tissue damage and organ failure. Response-guided therapy with albumin, vasoconstrictors, and furosemide may help overcome effective hypovolemia, improve diuresis and impact survival.

Methods

In the observation cohort, 230 patients with ACLF (CANONIC criteria) with ascites (≥Grade II) and ACLF ≥Grade I were enrolled. A total of 136 patients (GROUP I) received response-guided (urine sodium >80mmol/day) slow albumin-furosemide infusion ± terlipressin (SAFI ± T), while 94 patients (GROUP II) received standard medical therapy. Twenty-eight-day survival, ascites mobilization (nil or grade 1), and adverse events were noted. In another mechanistic cohort (n = 40), laboratory evidences for improvement in various pathophysiological alterations; gut permeability, endotoxemia, cytokine storm, neutrophil dysfunction, and hemodynamic alterations following SAFI ± T/Noradrenaline (NAdr) were evaluated.

Results

Age, gender, CLIF-C-ACLF, SOFA and MELD scores, ACLF grades and urine sodium were not different between the two groups in the observation cohort. Ascites was mobilized in 102/136 in GROUP I (SAFI ± T) and 23/94 in GROUP II (p < 0.05). Twenty-eight-day survival was significantly higher in GROUP I = 103/136 (75.7%) vs GROUP II = 50/94 (53.2%), (P = <0.001). All those who were unable to reach urine sodium >80 mmol/day died. Four patients in GROUP I developed scrotal gangrene. In the mechanistic cohort, 72% of patients survived with significant improvement in gut permeability, endotoxemia, serum cytokines, neutrophil dysfunction, and hemodynamic alterations.

Conclusion

Ascitic fluid mobilization by response-guided SAFI ± T/NAdr therapy improves survival by improving splanchnic and systemic hemodynamics, decreasing gut congestion, gut permeability, and endotoxemia, improving neutrophil functions, and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines in circulation.

Soluble factors and suppressive monocytes can predict early development of sepsis in acute-on-chronic liver failure

Patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) have a high probability of developing systemic inflammation and sepsis due to immune dysregulation. Fifty-nine patients with ACLF (12 without and 19 with systemic inflammation, and 28 with sepsis) were serially monitored for clinical and immunological changes at baseline, 6 hours, 24 hours, day 3, and day 7 following hospitalization. Ten healthy controls were also included. At all time points, soluble plasma factors and monocyte functions were studied. Patients with ACLF and systemic inflammation showed higher interleukin (IL)-6, vascular endothelial growth factor-a, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1β than patients with no systemic inflammation. Patients with ACLF with sepsis had raised (p < 0.001) levels of IL-1Ra, IL-18, and triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM1) compared to patients with ACLF-systemic inflammation. Five of the 19 (26.3%) patients with systemic inflammation developed sepsis within 48-72 hours with a rapid rise in plasma levels of IL-1Ra (1203-35,000 pg/ml), IL-18 (48-114 pg/ml), and TREM1 (1273-4865 pg/ml). Monocytes of patients with ACLF with systemic inflammation and sepsis showed reduced human leukocyte antigen-DR but increased programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM3) (p < 0.04) expression with increased ETosis by monocytes at baseline and until day 7. Conclusion: High and rising levels of plasma IL-1Ra, IL-18, TREM1 soluble factors, and increased suppressive monocytes (PDL1^+ve , TIM3^+ve ) at baseline can stratify patients with ACLF at high risk of developing sepsis within 48-72 hours of hospitalization.

Expert Consensus on Diagnosis and Treatment of End-Stage Liver Disease Complicated with Infections

Abstract

End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome that markedly increases mortality in patients with infections. In patients with ESLD, infections can induce or aggravate the occurrence of liver decompensation. Consequently, infections are among the most common complications of disease progression. There is a lack of working procedure for early diagnosis and appropriate management for patients with ESLD complicated by infections as well as local and international guidelines or consensus. This consensus assembled up-to-date knowledge and experience across Chinese colleagues, providing data on principles as well as working procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with ESLD complicated by infections.

Bioenergetic Failure Drives Functional Exhaustion of Monocytes in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Objective

The monocyte–macrophage system is central to the host’s innate immune defense and in resolving injury. It is reported to be dysfunctional in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The disease-associated alterations in ACLF monocytes are not fully understood. We investigated the mechanism of monocytes’ functional exhaustion and the role of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (ucMSCs) in re-energizing monocytes in ACLF.

Design

Monocytes were isolated from the peripheral blood of ACLF patients (n = 34) and matched healthy controls (n = 7) and patients with compensated cirrhosis (n = 7); phagocytic function, oxidative burst, and bioenergetics were analyzed. In the ACLF mouse model, ucMSCs were infused intravenously, and animals were sacrificed at 24 h and day 11 to assess changes in monocyte function, liver injury, and regeneration.

Results

Patients with ACLF (alcohol 64%) compared with healthy controls and those with compensated cirrhosis had an increased number of peripheral blood monocytes (p < 0.0001) which displayed significant defects in phagocytic (p < 0.0001) and oxidative burst capacity (p < 0.0001). ACLF patients also showed a significant increase in the number of liver macrophages as compared with healthy controls (p < 0.001). Bioenergetic analysis showed markedly reduced oxidative phosphorylation (p < 0.0001) and glycolysis (p < 0.001) in ACLF monocytes. Patients with monocytes having maximum mitochondrial respiration of <37.9 pmol/min [AUC = 0.822, hazard ratio (HR) = 4.5] and baseline glycolysis of ≤42.7 mpH/min (AUC = 0.901, HR = 9.1) showed increased 28-day mortality (p < 0.001). Co-culturing ACLF monocytes with ucMSC showed improved mitochondrial respiration (p < 0.01) and phagocytosis (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, ucMSC therapy increased monocyte energy (p < 0.01) and phagocytosis (p < 0.001), reduced hepatic injury, and enhanced hepatocyte regeneration in ACLF animals.

Conclusion

Bioenergetic failure drives the functional exhaustion of monocytes in ACLF. ucMSCs resuscitate monocyte energy and prevent its exhaustion. Restoring monocyte function can ameliorate hepatic injury and promote liver regeneration in the animal model of ACLF.

Utility of prognostic scores in predicting short-term mortality in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

Background

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a distinct syndrome associated with high short-term mortality. Early identification of patients at high risk is essential to determine emergency for transplantation and decide and prioritize the need for intensive care unit (ICU). We aimed to evaluate the performance of the different prognostic scores in the prediction of in-hospital mortality in patients with ACLF. A total of 249 patients with ACLF were included and followed till discharge from the hospital. Univariate and Cox regression analyses were used to assess the performance of liver-specific (Child-Pugh and MELD) and ACLF prognostic scores (CLIF-C OF, CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C AD, CLIF-C ACLF) in the prediction of in-hospital mortality.

Results

Patients were mostly males (71.1%) with a mean age of 53.9 ± 12.8 years. The etiology of pre-existing liver disease was HCV in 57.8%. Sepsis was the most common precipitating factor (49.8%) and the mortality rate was 74.3%. In univariate analysis, all scores were significantly higher in the deceased group (P<0.0001). AUROC were 0.897, 0.884, 0.870, 0.861, 0.861, and 0.850 for CLIF-C OF, CLIF-C AD, CLIF-C ACLF, Child-Pugh, CLIF-SOFA, and MELD scores, respectively. In multivariate analysis, 2 independent predictors of mortality were identified: CLIF-C ACLF score (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.03–10.25, P<0.0001) and Child-Pugh class C (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02–1.06, P=0.044).

Conclusions

All the studied scores could predict in-hospital mortality of patients with ACLF. However, CLIF-C ACLF and Child-Pugh class performed better as they could significantly and independently predict mortality.

Liver Progenitor Cells in Massive Hepatic Necrosis-How Can a Patient Survive Acute Liver Failure?

Massive hepatic necrosis is the most severe lesion in acute liver failure, yet a portion of patients manage to survive and recover from this high-risk and harsh disease syndrome. The mechanisms underlying recovery remain largely unknown to date. Recent research progress highlights a key role of liver progenitor cells, the smallest biliary cells, in the maintenance of liver homeostasis and thus survival. These stem-like cells rapidly proliferate and take over crucial hepatocyte functions in a severely damaged liver. Hence, the new findings not only add to our understanding of the huge regenerative capability of the liver, but also provide potential new targets for the pharmacological management of acute liver failure in clinical practice.

Hepatorenal syndrome in acute-on-chronic liver failure with acute kidney injury: more questions requiring discussion

In cirrhosis with ascites, hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a specific prerenal dysfunction unresponsive to fluid volume expansion. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) comprises a group of clinical syndromes with multiple organ failure and early high mortality. There are differences in the characterization of ACLF between the Eastern and Western medical communities. Patients with ACLF and acute kidney injury (AKI) have more structural injuries, contributing to confusion in diagnosing HRS-AKI. In this review, we discuss progress in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of HRS-AKI, especially in patients with ACLF. Controversy regarding HRS-AKI in ACLF and acute liver failure, hepatic carcinoma, shock, sepsis, and chronic kidney disease is also discussed. Research on the treatment of HRS-AKI with ACLF needs to be more actively pursued to improve disease prognosis.

Relationship Between Platelet to White Blood Cell Ratio and 30-Day Prognosis of Patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is always associated with thrombocytopenia or leukocytosis. Therefor the platelet to white blood cell ratio (PWR) in ACLF patients is always reduced. Objectives: Here, we assessed the relationship between PWR and prognosis in ACLF patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 415 patients, including 100 patients that were diagnosed of chronic hepatitis B, 104 patients suffered of HBV-related liver cirrhosis and 211 patients suffered of HBV-related ACLF, was investigated. Univariate and multivariate COX models were used to investigate the relationship between PWR and 30-day survival in patients with ACLF. Factors affecting PWR in ACLF patients were also analysed using logistic regression analysis. Results: At baseline, the platelet count in patients with HBV-related ACLF was significantly lower than that in patients with CHB and patients suffered of HBV-related cirrhosis. The PWR value was much higher in the survivors of ACLF than in ACLF patients who died. PWR, age, total bilirubine, prothrombin activity, and aspartate transaminase were independent predictors of the 30-day survival rate of ACLF patients. We also found that ascites and infection were independent factors related to the decrease of PWR in ACLF patients. Conclusions: The PWR value was significant declined in ACLF patients. And it was independent risk factors for the survival rate of those patients.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure in Egypt: an underestimated complication of liver cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe liver cirrhosis complication with high mortality rates. Despite that chronic liver diseases are prevalent in Egypt, there is no available data about patients with ACLF. We aimed to evaluate the pattern of ACLF in Egypt.

METHODS

This prospective cohort study included all patients with ACLF, according to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the European Association for the Study of the Liver, admitted to Al-Rajhi liver Hospital, Egypt, between November 2018 and October 2019. We recorded data at admission, days 3, 7, 14 and 28, and calculated ACLF grades and Chronic Liver Failure Consortium scores until discharge or death. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used for survival analysis.

RESULTS

We analyzed 52 patients with ACLF. Liver cirrhosis was secondary to hepatitis C virus in 46 patients (88.9%), and hepatitis B virus in 4 (7.4%). The main ACLF precipitating factors were infection in 38 (73.1%) and variceal bleeding in 9 (17.3%). The most common infections were spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (44.7%) and chest infection (31.6%). The 28 and 90-day mortality rates were 86.5 and 96.2%. None of the patients who survived >28 days had ACLF 3 at admission or day 7. Among those who died <28 days, ACLF 3 was reported in 7 at admission and 19 on day 7. Living donor liver transplantation was not offered in any case.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the 28-day mortality rate was higher than in the literature. Egypt urgently needs to develop specific protocols for the proper management of ACLF.

Plasma Exchange in Acute and Acute on Chronic Liver Failure

Liver failure in the context of acute (ALF) and acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with high mortality in the absence of a liver transplant. For decades, therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is performed for the management of immune-mediated diseases. TPE has emerged as an attractive extracorporeal blood purification technique in patients with ALF and ACLF. The basic premise of using TPE is to remove the toxic substances which would allow recovery of native liver functions by facilitating liver regeneration. In recent years, encouraging data have emerged, suggesting the benefits of TPE in patients with liver failure. TPE has emerged as an attractive liver support device for the failing liver until liver transplantation or clinical recovery. The data in patients with ALF suggest routine use of high-volume TPE, while the data for such a strategy are less robust for patients with ACLF.

'First week' is the crucial period for deciding living donor liver transplantation in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a rapidly progressive illness with high short-term mortality. Timely liver transplant (LT) may improve survival. We evaluated various indices for assessment of the severity of liver failure and their application for eligibility and timing of living donor LT (LDLT).

METHODS

Altogether 1021 patients were analyzed for the severity and organ failure at admission to determine transplant eligibility and 28 day survival with or without transplant.

RESULTS

The ACLF cohort [mean age 44 ± 12.2 years, males 81%) was of sick patients; 55% willing for LT at admission, though 63% of them were ineligible due to sepsis or organ failure. On day 4, recovery in sepsis and/or organ failure led to an improvement in transplant eligibility from 37% at baseline to 63.7%. Delay in LT up to 7 days led to a higher incidence of multiorgan failure (p < 0.01) contributing to 23% of the first week and 55% of all-cause 28-day mortality. In a matched cohort analysis, the actuarial survival with LT (n = 41) and conditional survival in the absence of transplant (n = 191) were comparable, when the condition, i.e., transplant was adjusted. The comparison curve showed differentiation in survival beyond 7 days (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

ACLF is a rapidly progressive disease and risk stratification within the first week of hospitalization is needed. 'Emergent LT' should be defined in the first week in the ACLF patients; the transplant window for improving survival in a live donor setting.

Establishment of a murine model of acute-on-chronic liver failure with multi-organ dysfunction

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a distinct clinical entity with high probability of organ failure and mortality. Since patients generally present late, experimental models are needed to understand the pathophysiology and natural course of the disease.

METHODOLOGY

To reproduce the syndrome of ACLF, chronic liver disease was induced in C57BL6 mice (6-8 weeks; approximately 20-24 g weight) by intraperitoneal administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) for 10 weeks followed by an acute injury with acetaminophen (APAP) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Blood, ascitic fluid, and organs were collected to study cell death, regeneration, and fibrosis.

RESULTS

At 24 h post-APAP/LPS infusion, the liver tissue showed increased hepatocyte ballooning and endothelial cell TUNEL positivity. This was followed by progressive hepatocyte necrosis from perivascular region at day 7 to lobular region by day 11. ACLF (day 7 and day 11) animals showed increase in bilirubin (p < 0.05), prothrombin time (p < 0.0001), blood ammonia (p < 0.001), and portal pressure post-acute hepatocellular injury similar to human ACLF. Ascites was noticed by day 11 with median serum-ascites albumin gradient of 1.2 (1.1-1.3) g/dL. In comparison to cirrhosis, ACLF group (day 7 and day 11) showed significant decrease in Sirius red (p ≤ 0.0001), collagen1 (p < 0.0001), and a-SMA proportionate area (p < 0.0001) with loss of hepatocytes regeneration (p < 0.005). At day 11, ACLF animals also showed significant increase in serum creatinine (p < 0.05) and acute tubular necrosis suggestive of organ failure, compared to cirrhotic animals.

CONCLUSION

The CCL4/APAP/LPS (CALPS) model of ACLF mimics the clinical, biochemical, and histological features of ACLF with demonstrable progressive hepatocellular necrosis, liver failure, impaired regeneration, development of portal hypertension, and organ dysfunction in an animal with chronic liver disease.

Omega-3 fatty acid lipid emulsions are safe and effective in reducing endotoxemia and sepsis in acute-on-chronic liver failure: An open-label randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Sepsis is an important determinant of the outcome of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients. Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) are known to suppress inflammation, reduce morbidity, and mortality in postoperative and critically ill patients. We aimed to evaluate the effect of intravenous omega-6 and omega-3 FA lipid emulsions in ACLF patients.

METHODS

Ninety ACLF patients were randomly allocated to three groups: Gr. A received no lipid emulsions, Gr. B received omega-6 FAs, and Gr. C received omega-3 FAs. The primary and secondary aims were to compare the effects of lipid emulsions on immune modulation, the incidence of bacterial sepsis, and mortality at day 28.

RESULTS

The baseline characteristics of the patients were comparable. Serum endotoxin levels remained suppressed by 22% in Gr. C compared with a 4% and 12% rise in Gr. B and A (P < 0.001). Omega-3 FAs also suppressed C-reactive protein levels and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in Gr. C. Compared with Gr. A, omega-3 FAs reduced sepsis by 86% (HR, 0.14; 95% CI 0.04-0.43; P < 0.001). Omega-3 FAs significantly increased the expression of TLR2 and TLR4 on both CD14⁺ and CD16⁺ monocytes, and TLR4, on macrophages and neutrophils. There were no serious adverse events, except transient flushing in 20% and 16.6% of patients receiving omega-6 FAs and omega-3 FAs, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Omega-3 FAs are safe and effective in reducing systemic inflammation, endotoxemia, and sepsis in patients with ACLF. These lipid emulsions could also be considered as effective sources of immunonutrition in such sick patients.

Comparative accuracy of prognostic models for short-term mortality in acute-on-chronic liver failure patients: CAP-ACLF

BACKGROUND

Multiple predictive models of mortality exist for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients that often create confusion during decision-making. We studied the natural history and evaluated the performance of prognostic models in ACLF patients.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data of ACLF patients from APASL-ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) was analyzed for 30-day outcomes. The models evaluated at days 0, 4, and 7 of presentation for 30-day mortality were: AARC (model and score), CLIF-C (ACLF score, and OF score), NACSELD-ACLF (model and binary), SOFA, APACHE-II, MELD, MELD-Lactate, and CTP. Evaluation parameters were discrimination (c-indices), calibration [accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and positive/negative predictive values (PPV/NPV)], Akaike/Bayesian Information Criteria (AIC/BIC), Nagelkerke-R², relative prediction errors, and odds ratios.

RESULTS

Thirty-day survival of the cohort (n = 2864) was 64.9% and was lowest for final-AARC-grade-III (32.8%) ACLF. Performance parameters of all models were best at day 7 than at day 4 or day 0 (p < 0.05 for C-indices of all models except NACSELD-ACLF). On comparison, day-7 AARC model had the numerically highest c-index 0.872, best accuracy 84.0%, PPV 87.8%, R² 0.609 and lower prediction errors by 10-50%. Day-7 NACSELD-ACLF-binary was the simple model (minimum AIC/BIC 12/17) with the highest odds (8.859) and sensitivity (100%) but with a lower PPV (70%) for mortality. Patients with day-7 AARC score > 12 had the lowest 30-day survival (5.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

APASL-ACLF is often a progressive disease, and models assessed up to day 7 of presentation reliably predict 30-day mortality. Day-7 AARC model is a statistically robust tool for classifying risk of death and accurately predicting 30-day outcomes with relatively lower prediction errors. Day-7 AARC score > 12 may be used as a futility criterion in APASL-ACLF patients.

Development and Validation of a Clinical Predictive Model for Bacterial Infection in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

INTRODUCTION

Bacterial infection is one of the most frequent complications in hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF), which leads to high mortality. However, a predictive model for bacterial infection in HBV-ACLF has not been well established. This study aimed to establish and validate a predictive model for bacterial infection in two independent patient cohorts.

METHODS

Admission data from a prospective cohort of patients with HBV-ACLF without bacterial infection on admission was used for derivation. Bacterial infection development from day 3 to 7 of admission was captured. Independent predictors of bacterial infection development on multivariate logistic regression were used to develop the predictive model. External validation was performed on a separate retrospective cohort.

RESULTS

A total of 377 patients were enrolled into the derivation cohort, including 88 patients (23.3%) who developed bacterial infection from day 3 to 7 of admission. On multivariate regression analysis, admission serum globulin (OR 0.862, 95% CI 0.822-0.904; P < 0.001), interleukin-6 (OR 1.023, 95% CI 1.006-1.040; P = 0.009), and C-reactive protein (OR 1.123, 95% CI 1.081-1.166; P < 0.001) levels were independent predictors for the bacterial infection development, which were adopted as parameters of the predictive model (GIC). In the derivation cohort, the area under the curve (AUC) of GIC was 0.861 (95% CI 0.821-0.902). A total of 230 patients were enrolled into the validation cohort, including 57 patients (24.8%) who developed bacterial infection from day 3 to 7 of admission, and the AUC of GIC was 0.836 (95% CI 0.782-0.881). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed a good calibration performance of the predictive model in the two cohorts (P = 0.199, P = 0.746). Decision curve analysis confirmed the clinical utility of the predictive model.

CONCLUSION

GIC was established and validated for the prediction of bacterial infection development in HBV-ACLF, which may provide a potential auxiliary solution for the primary complication of HBV-ACLF.

Therapeutic plasma-exchange improves systemic inflammation and survival in acute-on-chronic liver failure: A propensity-score matched study from AARC

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Plasma-exchange (PE) has improved survival in acute liver failure by ameliorating systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). We evaluated PE and compared it to Fractional Plasma Separation and Adsorption (FPSA) and standard medical treatment (SMT) in a large multinational cohort of ACLF patients.

METHODS

Data were prospectively collected from the AARC database and analysed. Matching by propensity risk score (PRS) was performed. Competing risk survival analysis was done to identify deaths because of multiorgan failure (MOF). In a subset of 10 patients, we also evaluated the mechanistic basis of response to PE.

RESULTS

ACLF patients (n = 1866, mean age 44.3 ± 12.3 yrs, 93% males, 65% alcoholics) received either artificial liver support (ALS) (n = 162); [PE (n = 131), FPSA (n = 31)] or were continued on standard medical therapy (SMT) (n = 1704). In the PRS-matched cohort (n = 208, [ALS-119; PE-94, FPSA-25)], SMT-89). ALS therapies were associated with a significantly higher resolution of SIRS (Odd's ratio 9.23,3.42-24.8), lower and delayed development of MOF (Hazard ratio 7.1, 4.5-11.1), and lower liver-failure-related deaths as compared to FPSA and SMT (P < .05). PE cleared inflammatory cytokines, damage-associated molecular patterns, and endotoxin in all patients. Responders improved monocyte phagocytic function and mitochondrial respiration and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) compared to non-responders. PE was associated with lesser adverse effects as compared to FPSA.

CONCLUSIONS

PE improves systemic inflammation and lowers the development of MOF in patients with ACLF. Plasma-exchange provides significant survival benefit over FPSA and could be a preferred modality of liver support for ACLF patients.

A nomogram to predict survival in patients with acute-on-chronic hepatitis B liver failure after liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Individualized prediction of survival after liver transplantation (LT) for patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) has not been well investigated. This study aimed to develop a prognostic nomogram for patients with HBV-ACLF undergoing LT.

METHODS

The nomogram was derived from a retrospective study of 290 patients who underwent LT for HBV-ACLF at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between January 2012 and December 2017. Concordance index and determiner calibration curve was used to ascertain the predictive accuracy and discriminative ability of the nomogram. The predictive performance of the nomogram was compared with that of Child-Pugh score, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), MELD-Na, chronic liver failure Consortium Organ Failure score (CLIF-C OFs), and CLIF-C ACLF.

RESULTS

The 1-year mortality rate was 23.1% (67/290). The Cox multivariate analysis showed that risk factors for 1-year survival rate included white blood cell count, alanine aminotransferase/aspartate aminotransferase ratio, and the organ failure numbers. The determiner calibration curve showed good agreement between prediction of the nomogram and actual observation. The concordance index of the nomogram for predicting 1-year survival was 0.707, which was significantly higher than that of other prognostic models: Child-Pugh score (0.626), MELD (0.627), MELD-Na (0.583), CLIF-C OF (0.674), and comparable to that of CLIF-C ACLF (0.684).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study developed a novel nomogram that could accurately predict individualized post-transplantation survival in patients with HBV-ACLF. The nomogram might be a useful tool for identifying HBV-ACLF patients who would benefit from LT.

Hospitalizations for Acute on Chronic Liver Failure at Academic Compared to Non-academic Centers Have Higher Mortality

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) in patients with cirrhosis has high short-term mortality. Data comparing ACLF admissions to academic centers (AC) and non-academic centers (NAC) are scanty.

METHODS

National Inpatient Sample (2006-2014) was queried for admissions with cirrhosis and ACLF using the ICD-09 codes, and was stratified to AC or NAC.

RESULTS

Of 1,928,764 admissions with cirrhosis (2006-2014), 112,174 (5. 9%) had ACLF. 6.7% of 1,018,568 cirrhosis admissions to AC had ACLF versus 5% of 910,196 admissions to NAC, P < 0.0001. Proportion of ACLF admissions to AC increased from 49% during 2006-2008 to 59% during 2012-2014. In a cohort of 73,630 ACLF admissions (36,615 each to AC and NAC) matched for patient demographics, cirrhosis etiology, number of comorbidities, elective versus emergent admission, ACLF grade, and type of organ failure. In-hospital mortality declined by 7% over the study period, but remained higher in AC (46% vs. 42%, P < 0.001), with 11% increased odds for in-hospital mortality compared to admission to NAC. Further admissions to AC versus NAC had higher median (IQR) length of stay at 13 (6-25) versus 11 (5-20) days, with higher median (IQR) hospital charges: 138,239 (66,772-275,603) versus 116,209 (55,767-232,699) USD, P < 0.001 for both.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ACLF have high in-hospital mortality. Further, this is higher among admissions to AC. Although the in-hospital mortality is improving, strategies are needed on early identification of patients with futility of care for early discussion on goals of care, and optimal utilization of hospital resources among admissions with ACLF.

Prevalence and short-term outcome of acute kidney injury in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure: A meta-analysis

Acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a distinct syndrome to that in patients with cirrhosis, yet is less characterized. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the impact of AKI on outcome of ACLF. We searched PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library for original articles that evaluated the impact of AKI on outcome of ACLF from 2011 to 2019. Odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for 1-month and 3-month mortality was calculated. The response rate of vasoconstrictor for hepatorenal syndrome (HRS)-AKI was assessed. Eight relevant articles with 3610 patients were included. The prevalence of AKI in ACLF patients was 41% (95% CI 32%-50%). The presence of AKI was significantly associated with 1-month mortality of ACLF (OR 3.98, 95% CI 3.09-5.12; P < .001) and 3-month mortality (OR 4.98, 95% CI 3.59-6.92; P < .001). Additionally, patients with AKI stage ≥2 showed a higher 3-month mortality than stage 1 (OR 3.89, 95% CI 2.60-5.82; P < .001), and those of stage 3 had a higher mortality than stage ≤2 (OR 3.77, 95% CI 2.10-6.77; P < .001). The pooled response rate of vasoconstrictors was 32% (95% CI 26%-37%). This meta-analysis indicated that about 40% of ACLF patients complicated with AKI and the presence of AKI substantially increased the short-term mortality, together with a poor response rate of vasoconstrictors for HRS-AKI.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure alters meropenem pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients with continuous hemodialysis: an observational study

BACKGROUND

Infection and sepsis are a main cause of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Adequate dosing of antimicrobial therapy is of central importance to improve outcome. Liver failure may alter antibiotic drug concentrations via changes of drug distribution and elimination. We studied the pharmacokinetics of meropenem in critically ill patients with ACLF during continuous veno-venous hemodialysis (CVVHD) and compared it to critically ill patients without concomitant liver failure (NLF).

METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, patients received meropenem 1 g tid short-term infusion (SI). Meropenem serum samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. A population pharmacokinetic analysis was performed followed by Monte Carlo simulations of (A) meropenem 1 g tid SI, (B) 2 g loading plus 1 g prolonged infusion tid (C) 2 g tid SI, and (D) 2 g loading and continuous infusion of 3 g/day on days 1 and 7. Probability of target attainment (PTA) was assessed for 4× the epidemiological cut-off values for Enterobacterales (4 × 0.25 mg/L) and Pseudomonas spp. (4 × 2 mg/L).

RESULTS

Nineteen patients were included in this study. Of these, 8 patients suffered from ACLF. A two-compartment model with linear clearance from the central compartment described meropenem pharmacokinetics. The peripheral volume of distribution (V₂) was significantly higher in ACLF compared to NLF (38.6L versus 19.7L, p = .05). PTA for Enterobacterales was achieved in 100% for all dosing regimens. PTA for Pseudomonas spp. in ACLF on day 1/7 was: A: 18%/80%, B: 94%/88%, C: 85%/98% D: 100%/100% and NLF: A: 48%/65%, B: 91%/83%, C: 91%/93%, D: 100%/100%.

CONCLUSION

ALCF patients receiving CVVHD had a higher V₂ and may require a higher loading dose of meropenem. For Pseudomonas, high doses or continuous infusion are required to reach PTA in ACLF patients.

Role of Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor on the Short-Term Outcome of Children with Acute on Chronic Liver Failure

BACKGROUND

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) results in very high mortality in children. We aimed to evaluate the role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) on short-term outcome of children with ACLF in a nontransplant unit.

METHODS

Children (aged > 1 year) diagnosed with ACLF over a 15 month period were randomised. Group A was given GCSF therapy along with standard medical care (SMC - details in supplementary data) and group B was given only SMC. The outcome was evaluated as survival at 30 and 60 days of therapy.

RESULT

Thirty-one children with ACLF were enrolled, with a mean age of 6.92 ± 4.3yrs. A total of 15 patients were randomised to group A and 16 to group B. The overall mortality was 54.83%. The intervention group showed survival rates of 80%, 66.67% and 53.3%, whereas the control group had survival rates of 43.75%, 37.5% and 37.5% at 14, 30 and 60 days, respectively. A significant survival benefit was noted on day 14 (p = 0.043) of therapy in group A with significant difference in Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) and pediatric end-stage liver disease (PELD) scores in the two groups. After an initial rise in group A, the granulocyte counts fell to become comparable in the two groups by day 30 and 60, indicating that the effect of GCSF therapy wears off over time. There was no significant difference in the overall survival, median/mean CTP, PELD and MCS (Modified Cliff sequential organ failure assesment (SOFA)) scores on day 30 and 60. Mean (%) CD 34 + cells level showed a rise on day 7 in group A but was statistically insignificant.

CONCLUSION

The present study shows that GCSF therapy at 5 mcg/kg/day for 5 days seems to be ineffective in improving the survival outcome on day 30 and 60 of therapy. Studies with larger number of children enrolled and longer duration of therapy are required. (CTRI/2017/11/010420).

Corticosteroid improves liver function but does not curb the clinical progression of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic pre-liver failure

Background: Hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic pre liver failure (HBV pre-ACLF) has the potential for progression to HBV ACLF. Whether corticosteroid is useful for HBV pre-ACLF remains heterogeneous. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of short-term (5 days) and low-dose dexamethasone (5mg/d) toward HBV pre-ACLF.Design and methods: One hundred twenty-one patients with HBV pre-ACLF were randomly divided into two groups: medical comprehensive treatment (MCT) group and corticosteroid treatment (CT) group. Laboratory measurements at admission and 7 days post-admission were compared between the two groups, respectively. Hospitalization periods and clinical progression were also monitored and compared between the two groups.Results: Higher than normal levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, DBIL, TBA and GLO were observed at 7 days after admission in patients in the MCT group than in CT group (p < 0.001).Patients in the CT group had shorter inpatient days than the MCT group (p = 0.002).During hospitalization and treatment, the incidence of HBV ACLF was not substantially different between the two groups (14.8% vs. 8.3%, p = 0.271).Conclusions: Corticosteroid is effective at improving the liver function and decreasing hospitalization periods of patients with HBV pre-ACLF but does not prevent HBV pre-ACLF from progressing to HBVACLF.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure: consensus recommendations of the Asian Pacific association for the study of the liver (APASL): an update

The first consensus report of the working party of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) set up in 2004 on acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) was published in 2009. With international groups volunteering to join, the "APASL ACLF Research Consortium (AARC)" was formed in 2012, which continued to collect prospective ACLF patient data. Based on the prospective data analysis of nearly 1400 patients, the AARC consensus was published in 2014. In the past nearly four-and-a-half years, the AARC database has been enriched to about 5200 cases by major hepatology centers across Asia. The data published during the interim period were carefully analyzed and areas of contention and new developments in the field of ACLF were prioritized in a systematic manner. The AARC database was also approached for answering some of the issues where published data were limited, such as liver failure grading, its impact on the 'Golden Therapeutic Window', extrahepatic organ dysfunction and failure, development of sepsis, distinctive features of acute decompensation from ACLF and pediatric ACLF and the issues were analyzed. These initiatives concluded in a two-day meeting in October 2018 at New Delhi with finalization of the new AARC consensus. Only those statements, which were based on evidence using the Grade System and were unanimously recommended, were accepted. Finalized statements were again circulated to all the experts and subsequently presented at the AARC investigators meeting at the AASLD in November 2018. The suggestions from the experts were used to revise and finalize the consensus. After detailed deliberations and data analysis, the original definition of ACLF was found to withstand the test of time and be able to identify a homogenous group of patients presenting with liver failure. New management options including the algorithms for the management of coagulation disorders, renal replacement therapy, sepsis, variceal bleed, antivirals and criteria for liver transplantation for ACLF patients were proposed. The final consensus statements along with the relevant background information and areas requiring future studies are presented here.

Approaches for patients with very high MELD scores

In the era of the "sickest first" policy, patients with very high model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores have been increasingly admitted to the intensive care unit with the expectation that they will receive a liver transplant (LT) in the absence of improvement on supportive therapies. Such patients are often admitted in a context of acute-on-chronic liver failure with extrahepatic failures. Sequential assessment of scores or classification based on organ failures within the first days after admission help to stratify the risk of mortality in this population. Although the prognosis of severely ill cirrhotic patients has recently improved, transplant-free mortality remains high. LT is still the only curative treatment in this population. Yet, the increased relative scarcity of graft resource must be considered alongside the increased risk of losing a graft in the initial postoperative period when performing LT in "too sick to transplant" patients. Variables associated with poor immediate post-LT outcomes have been identified in large studies. Despite this, the performance of scores based on these variables is still insufficient. Consideration of a patient's comorbidities and frailty is an appealing predictive approach in this population that has proven of great value in many other diseases. So far, local expertise remains the last safeguard to LT. Using this expertise, data are accumulating on favourable post-LT outcomes in very high MELD populations, particularly when LT is performed in a situation of stabilization/improvement of organ failures in selected candidates. The absence of "definitive" contraindications and the control of "dynamic" contraindications allow a "transplantation window" to be defined. This window must be identified swiftly after admission given the poor short-term survival of patients with very high MELD scores. In the absence of any prospect of LT, withdrawal of care could be discussed to ensure respect of patient life, dignity and wishes.

Human beta-defensin-1 is a highly predictive marker of mortality in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND & AIM

Human beta-defensin-1 (hBD-1) is a natural antimicrobial peptide expressed in the epithelia of multiple tissues including the digestive tract. In the current study, hBD-1 levels were determined in different subsets of patients with decompensated cirrhosis including acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). In addition, the association with mortality of hBD-1, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) was assessed.

METHODS

A total of 125 patients were divided into three groups: 39 with ACLF (derivation cohort), 46 with acute decompensation without ACLF (AD) and 40 with decompensated cirrhosis without an acute event (DC). The data from 24 different ACLF patients were used for validation and 15 healthy individuals as control group.

RESULTS

Serum hBD-1, CRP and PCT levels were higher in ACLF compared to both AD and DC groups (P < 0.001). Healthy controls demonstrated similar hBD-1 and PCT values compared to DC group. In ROC curve, the performance of hBD-1 to predict 60-day mortality in ACLF group was similar in derivation and validation cohorts (c-statistic 0.834 and 0.879, respectively). CRP was a poor predictor of mortality. In ACLF group, patients with high hBD-1 (>36.625 ng/mL) had a poor prognosis at 60 days compared to those with lower values (log-rank P = 0.001). In Cox multivariate regression analysis, only hBD-1 (HR 1.020, 95%CI 1.006-1.035, P = 0.006) emerged as an independent predictor of death in ACLF group. In AD group, neither hBD-1 nor PCT or CRP variables were associated with mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

High hBD-1 was detected at presentation in patients with ACLF who died during follow-up period. hBD-1 is an accurate predictor of short-term mortality in patients with ACLF.

Steroid treatment in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure precipitated by hepatitis B: A 10-year cohort study in a university hospital in East China

OBJECTIVE

To investigate retrospectively the efficacy of steroids in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) precipitated by hepatitis B.

METHODS

Patients with ACLF precipitated by hepatitis B were included and categorized according to treatment modalities (steroid vs. control). Survival and clinical characteristics, including patients' age, baseline ACLF grade, the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and occurrence of infection were compared between the two groups. Survival analyses of subgroups classified by their age, ACLF grade and MELD score were performed. Cox regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with 60-day cumulative and transplant-free mortality.

RESULTS

From 2007 to 2016, 293 patients with hepatitis B-precipitated ACLF were recruited, among whom 162 received at least five consecutive doses of corticosteroids. By day 60 transplant-free survival was 62.6% in the control group compared with 53.7% in the steroid group (P = 0.126). Steroid treatment failed to show a survival benefit in the survival analysis among the subgroup. Within 60 days, pulmonary and overall infections occurred with higher frequency in the steroid-treated group than in the controls (P = 0.003 and < 0.001, respectively). In the univariate analysis, age, baseline MELD score >20, CLIF consortium (CLIF-C) ACLF grade 2-3, pulmonary infection and overall infection were associated with 60-day mortality. In the multivariate analysis, older age, baseline MELD score >20 and CLIF-C ACLF grade 2-3 were independent risk factors of 60-day mortality.

CONCLUSION

Steroid treatment did not improve transplant-free survival in patients with ACLF precipitated by hepatitis B.

Liver transplantation for critically ill cirrhotic patients: Overview and pragmatic proposals

Liver transplantation for critically ill cirrhotic patients with acute deterioration of liver function associated with extrahepatic organ failures is controversial. While transplantation has been shown to be beneficial on an individual basis, the potentially poorer post-transplant outcome of these patients taken as a group can be held as an argument against allocating livers to them. Although this issue concerns only a minority of liver transplants, it calls into question the very heart of the allocation paradigms in place. Indeed, most allocation algorithms have been centered on prioritizing the sickest patients by using the model for end-stage liver disease score. This has led to allocating increasing numbers of livers to increasingly critically ill patients without setting objective or consensual limits on how sick patients can be when they receive an organ. Today, finding robust criteria to deem certain cirrhotic patients too sick to be transplanted seems urgent in order to ensure the fairness of our organ allocation protocols. This review starts by fleshing out the argument that finding such criteria is essential. It examines five types of difficulties that have hindered the progress of recent literature on this issue and identifies various strategies that could be followed to move forward on this topic, taking into account the recent discussion on acute on chronic liver failure. We move on to review the literature along four axes that could guide clinicians in their decision-making process regarding transplantation of critically ill cirrhotic patients.

Evaluation of prognostic values of inflammation-based makers in patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

Systemic inflammatory responses are associated with the development and progression of liver failure. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), red cell distribution width (RDW), RDW-to platelet ratio (RPR), mean platelet volume (MPV), and MPV-to platelet ratio (MPR) are markers of systemic inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic values of these inflammatory markers in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).203 HBV-ACLF patients, 79 cirrhosis patients (LC), 63 chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 81 healthy subjects (HS) participated in this cohort study. Complete blood counts and biochemical examinations were obtained after overnight fasting. Multivariate analyses of 90-day outcome predictors were analyzed by Cox regression models. Survival probability curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method.The levels of NLR, MLR, RDW, MPV, RPR, and MPR were significantly higher and PNI was lower in patients with liver failure at presentation compared to those in LC, CHB, and HS (P <.001). In acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) patients, NLR and MLR were higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors (P <.001), while other inflammatory markers showed no difference. ROC curve analyses showed that NLR combined with MLR had the highest AUC for identified poor outcome, followed by NLR, chronic liver failure-sequential organ failure assessment (CLIF-SOFA), MLR, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) and TBIL. Multivariate analyses showed that TBIL, NLR, CTP, MELD, and CLIF-SOFA were independent predictors for 90-day mortality.Combination of NLR and MLR are more accurate prognostic markers for predicting poor outcome than either marker alone in ACLF patients. And this combination is superior to the CLIF-SOFA, MELD, CTP score, and TBIL in terms of prognostic ability.

How to identify the need for liver transplantation in pediatric acute-on-chronic liver failure?

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the prognostic value of APASL ACLF Research Consortium-Acute-on-chronic liver failure (AARC-ACLF) score against the current prognostic models in pediatric ACLF and to assess the role of pediatric modifications of AARC-ACLF score and chronic liver failure-sequential organ failure assessment (CLIF-SOFA) score.

METHODS

All children between 1 and 18 years of age satisfying the APASL definition of ACLF were included in the study. All the prognostic scores were calculated retrospectively from hospital records. Outcome was assessed at days 28 and 90. Pediatric modifications of AARC-ACLF and CLIF-SOFA scores were evaluated.

RESULTS

Acute-on-chronic liver failure was seen in 86 (13.4%) of 640 children with chronic liver disease. Twenty-five (29.8%) children died, 7 (8.3%) underwent liver transplant and the remaining 52 (61.9%) survived with their native liver. Four prognostic models (AARC-ACLF, AARC-ACLF-Pediatric, CLIF-SOFA and CLIF-SOFA-Pediatric) had an AUROC greater than 0.9 for predicting poor outcome in pediatric ACLF. AARC-ACLF and CLIF-SOFA models were superior to other prognostic scores with a cutoff score of 11 or more predicting poor outcome. Pediatric modifications of AARC-ACLF and CLIF-SOFA scores were not superior to their original scores. Children with poor outcome had rising scores at day 4, whereas the scores were falling in those with good outcome.

CONCLUSION

AARC-ACLF and CLIF-SOFA models are superior to other prognostic scores in pediatric ACLF. The scores are dynamic and a patient with either of these scores ≥ 11 at admission and/or a rising score at day 4 has high likelihood of death and needs to be urgently listed for liver transplantation.

Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in China: Rationale for Developing a Patient Registry and Baseline Characteristics

Definitions and descriptions of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) vary between Western and Eastern types, and alcoholism and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are, respectively, the main etiologies. To determine whether there are unified diagnostic criteria and common treatment programs for different etiologies of ACLF, a multicenter prospective cohort with the same inclusion criteria and disease indicators as those used in the European Consortium Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in Cirrhosis Study is urgently needed in Asia, where the prevalence of HBV is high. A multicenter prospective cohort of 2,600 patients was designed, drawing from 14 nationwide liver centers from tertiary university hospitals in China, and 2,600 hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease (both cirrhotic and noncirrhotic) of various etiologies with acute decompensation or acute hepatic injury were continuously recruited from January 2015 to December 2016. Data were collected during hospitalization, and follow-ups were performed once a month, with plans to follow all patients until 36 months after hospital discharge. Of these patients, 1,859 (71.5%) had HBV-related disease, 1,833 had cirrhotic disease, and 767 had noncirrhotic disease. The numbers and proportions of enrolled patients from each participating center and the baseline characteristics of the patients with or without cirrhosis are presented.

Management of acute-on-chronic liver failure: an algorithmic approach

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a distinct syndrome of liver failure in a patient with chronic liver disease presenting with jaundice, coagulopathy and ascites and/or hepatic encephalopathy, developing following an acute hepatic insult and associated with high 28-day mortality. The definition though lacks global consensus, excludes patients with known distinct entities such as acute liver failure and those with end-stage liver disease. The initial Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) because of cytokine storm in relation to acute insult and/or subsequent development of sepsis due to immunoparalysis leads to extrahepatic organ failure. These cascades of events progress through a 'Golden Window' period of about 7 days, subsequent to which majority of the patients develop complications, such as sepsis and extrahepatic organ failure. Prevention of sepsis, support of organs and management of organ failure (commonly hepatic, renal, cerebral, coagulation) and early referral for transplant is crucial. The APASL ACLF research consortium (AARC) liver failure score is a dynamic prognostic model for management decisions and is superior to existing models. Aggressive multidisciplinary approach can lead to a transplant-free survival in nearly half of the cases. The present review provides an algorithmic approach to management of organ failure, sepsis prevention, use of dynamic prognostic models for management decision and is aimed to improve the skills for managing and improving the outcomes of such critically ill patients.