Role of predisposition, injury, response and organ failure in the prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure: a prospective cohort study

Artificial Liver Support System Improves One-Year Prognosis of Patients With Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a complex syndrome with limited treatment options. This study aims to investigate the impact of artificial liver support system (ALSS) on the one-year prognosis of patients with Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated ACLF.

METHOD

A retrospective study was conducted on 239 patients with HBV-ACLF in Nanfang Hospital from January 2016 to June 2021. Patients were divided into the ALSS group (n = 103) and the Standard Medical Therapy (SMT group, n = 136). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected before the first ALSS treatment for patients in ALSS group, while baseline data were collected in SMT group. According to receiving different ALSS modes, patients in ALSS group were divided into plasma exchange (PE) group and non-PE group.

RESULT

The 12-week and 1-year liver transplant (LT) free survival rates in the ALSS group were significantly higher than that in the SMT group (65.05% vs 52.21%, p = 0.0011; 63.11% vs. 48.53%, p = 0.0006). ALSS therapy was the independent predictive factors associated with 12-week and 1-year mortality (hazard ratio, HR: 0.59, p = 0.04, and HR: 0.54, p = 0.01). Comparatively more ALSS-related complications were observed in PE group. After Propensity Score Matching, the 12-week and 1-year LT-free survival rates between PE and non-PE group were similar (88% vs. 80%, p = 0.227, 88% vs. 80%, p = 0.227).

CONCLUSION

ALSS therapy is a safe and effective treatment for HBV-ACLF. ALSS improves 1-year prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF.

Prognostic value of combined detection of alpha-fetoprotein, plasma prothrombin activity, and serum prealbumin in acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a liver disease based on chronic liver disease, which is significantly influenced by clinical treatment regimen and disease status, and despite the existence of multiple prognostic assessment indicators for ACLF, the overall sensitivity and accuracy are relatively low.

AIM

To investigate the prognostic value of the combined detection of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), plasma prothrombin activity (PTA), and serum prealbumin (PA) in ACLF.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 87 patients with ACLF admitted from February 2021 to February 2023 and categorized them into the survival (n = 47) and death (n = 40) groups according to their clinical outcomes 3 months posttreatment. All the participants underwent AFP, PTA, and PA level measurements upon admission. Baseline data, as well as AFP, PTA, and PA levels, were comparatively analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficients were utilized to analyze the correlations of AFP, PTA, and PA with different survival outcomes in patients with ACLF. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and areas under the curves were used to evaluate the predictive value of AFP, PTA, and PA for ACLF prognosis.

RESULTS

AFP, PTA, and PA levels were markedly decreased in the death group than in the survival group (P < 0.05). Pearson analysis indicated a positive association of the AFP, PTA, and PA levels with the survival of patients with ACLF (P < 0.05). ROC curve analysis determined the sensitivity and specificity of the combined diagnosis at 91.24% and 100.00%, respectively, both of which were notably increased compared to the single-index diagnosis. The ROC of their combined diagnosis was 0.989, significantly surpassing 0.907, 0.849, and 0.853 of AFP, PTA, and PA, respectively. No statistically significant variance was determined in the sensitivity and specificity of the combined diagnosis vs the single detection (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The combined detection of AFP, PTA, and PA levels demonstrates favorable diagnostic value for the short-term prognosis of patients with ACLF, featuring high sensitivity and specificity.

Impact of acute respiratory distress syndrome on outcome in critically ill patients with liver cirrhosis

We investigated the occurrence and outcome of respiratory failure and ARDS in critically ill patients with liver cirrhosis. This is a retrospective analysis of patients with liver cirrhosis at an ICU during an 8-Year period. An assessment of acute on chronic liver failure as well as the presence and grade of ARDS within the first 72 h of admission to the ICU was performed. A total of 735 patients during the study period. Median age was 58 (50-69) years and 61% (n = 447) were male. 57% (n = 421) of the patients received mechanical ventilation (MV). Liver specific as well as ICU scores on admission were significantly higher in patients with MV. Necessity of vasopressor support (86%vs.25%, p < 0.001) and RRT (50%vs.11%, p < 0.001) was more frequent in patients with MV. The incidence of ARDS within the first 72 h of admission was 8% (n = 61). We observed a 28-day mortality or liver transplantation rate of 54% (n = 196) and 66% (n = 66%) in patients with MV and ARDS, respectively. After 90-days 63% (n = 226) with MV and 70% (n = 43) with ARDS were dead or received liver transplantation. ARDS is a prognostic factor for mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis admitted to the ICU. One out of ten critically ill cirrhotic patients develop ARDS within 72 h after admission. Although mortality rates are high initially critical care therapy should not be withheld and must be reevaluated regularly.

Definitions, Etiologies, and Outcomes of Acute on Chronic Liver Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a major public health concern. We aimed to assess the definitions, etiologic spectrum, organ failure (OF), and outcomes of ACLF globally.

METHODS

Three databases were searched for studies on ACLF from 1990 until September 2022. Information regarding definitions, acute precipitants, underlying chronic liver disease (CLD), OF, and mortality were extracted. Meta-analyses were performed for pooled prevalence rates (95% confidence interval [CI]) using random-effects model for each definition of ACLF.

RESULTS

Of the 11,451 studies identified, 114 articles (142 cohorts encompassing 210,239 patients) met the eligibility criteria. Most studies (53.2%) used the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) definition, followed by Asia-Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) (33.3%). Systemic infection was the major acute precipitant, and alcohol use was the major cause of CLD in EASL-defined studies, whereas alcohol was both the major acute precipitant and cause of CLD in APASL-defined studies. Liver failure was the major OF in APASL-based studies, whereas renal failure was predominant in EASL-based studies. Thirty-day mortality varied across definitions: APASL: 38.9%, 95% CI, 31.2%-46.9%; EASL: 47.9%, 95% CI, 42.2%-53.5%; and NACSELD: 52.2%, 95% CI, 51.9%-52.5%. Diagnostic overlap between definitions ranged from 7.7% to 80.2%. Meta-regression suggested that the World Health Organization region influenced 30-day mortality in studies using EASL definition.

CONCLUSIONS

Heterogeneity in the definition of ACLF proposed by different expert societies and regional preferences in its use result in differences in clinical phenotype and outcomes. A uniform definition would enhance the comparability and interpretation of global data.

Plasma Exchange as a Viable Therapeutic Option in a Patient With Alcohol-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: A Case Report

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe form of chronic liver disease associated with multi-system organ dysfunction and high short-term mortality. High-volume plasma exchange (PLEX) is one of the therapeutic measures that improves prognosis. We present the case of a 32-year-old man with alcohol-related liver disease who was admitted with acute decompensation, including coagulopathy, hepatic encephalopathy, and acute kidney injury precipitated by alcoholic hepatitis. Despite standard medical treatment, the inflammatory state did not improve. High-volume PLEX was initiated, and five cycles were completed following a multidisciplinary discussion. This intervention improved the clinical and biochemical status of the patient. Pathologically, ACLF is characterized by systemic inflammation, with high levels of cytokines released into the circulation leading to organ failure. In resource-limited settings where liver transplantation is not available, PLEX is emerging as a promising modality, offering biochemical improvement and enhanced survival. PLEX works by eliminating accumulated toxins in ACLF, aiding the recovery of the failing liver and creating a suitable environment for liver regeneration.

Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Treatment of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), a clinical syndrome that can develop at any stage in the progression of cirrhotic liver disease, is characterized by an acute decompensation in liver function with associated multiorgan failure and high short-term mortality. Current evidence points to ACLF being reversible, particularly in those at the lower end of the severity spectrum. However, there are no specific treatments for ACLF, and overall outcomes remain poor. Expedited liver transplantation as a treatment option is limited by organ shortage and a lack of priority allocation for this indication. Other options are therefore urgently needed, and our improved understanding of the condition has led to significant efforts to develop novel therapies. In conclusion, this review aims to summarize the current understanding of the pathophysiological processes involved in the onset, progression, and recovery of ACLF and discuss novel therapies under development.

Serum interleukin-6 level predicts the prognosis for patients with alcohol-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

AIM

Heavy alcohol consumption is the most common etiology of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in Japan. In some patients, ACLF is associated with a fatal outcome in less than 6 months. We evaluated the prognosis of patients with alcohol-related ACLF in our cohort and explored the prognostic factors.

METHODS

Forty-six patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis who fulfilled the Japanese diagnostic criteria for ACLF, including those classified as extended and/or probable, were enrolled in this study. Serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70 and TNFα) were measured. We assessed prognosis and identified factors associated with survival.

RESULTS

During the median 33-day observation period, 19 patients died, and 3 patients underwent living donor liver transplantation. Cumulative survival rates of patients treated without liver transplantation were 69, 48, 41, and 36% at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Eighteen of the 19 deceased patients died within 6 months after ACLF diagnosis. Serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines were significantly elevated, and patients who underwent liver transplantation or who died within 6 months after admission had significantly higher serum IL-6 levels than the survival group. Multivariate analysis identified IL-6 > 23.3 pg/mL at admission and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score ≥ 25 on day 4 of admission as significant independent factors for mortality within 6 months.

CONCLUSION

Serum IL-6 level and Day-4 MELD were prognostic factors for alcohol-related ACLF. Early liver transplantation is a potential treatment option for patients whose prognosis is expected to be poor.

Review article: Emerging and current management of acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinically and pathophysiologically distinct condition from acutely decompensated cirrhosis and is characterised by systemic inflammation, extrahepatic organ failure, and high short-term mortality.

AIMS

To provide a narrative review of the diagnostic criteria, prognosis, epidemiology, and general management principles of ACLF. Four specific interventions that are explored in detail are intravenous albumin, extracorporeal liver assist devices, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and liver transplantation.

METHODS

We searched PubMed and Cochrane databases for articles published up to July 2023.

RESULTS

Approximately 35% of hospital inpatients with decompensated cirrhosis have ACLF. There is significant heterogeneity in the criteria used to diagnose ACLF; different definitions identify different phenotypes with varying mortality. Criteria established by the European Association for the Study of the Liver were developed in prospective patient cohorts and are, to-date, the most well validated internationally. Systemic haemodynamic instability, renal dysfunction, coagulopathy, neurological dysfunction, and respiratory failure are key considerations when managing ACLF in the intensive care unit. Apart from liver transplantation, there are no accepted evidence-based treatments for ACLF, but several different approaches are under investigation.

CONCLUSION

The recognition of ACLF as a distinct entity from acutely decompensated cirrhosis has allowed for better patient stratification in clinical settings, facilitating earlier engagement with the intensive care unit and liver transplantation teams. Research priorities over the next decade should focus on exploring novel treatment strategies with a particular focus on which, when, and how patients with ACLF should be treated.

Outcomes and time trends of acute respiratory distress syndrome patients with and without liver cirrhosis: an observational cohort

BACKGROUND

In studies prior to lung-protective ventilation, liver cirrhosis in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was associated with high mortality rates. Since patients with cirrhosis have been excluded from many trials on ARDS, their outcome when treated with lung-protective ventilation is unclear. The objectives were to assess whether cirrhosis is associated with mortality in ARDS and trends over time in mortality and severity.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospective observational cohort conducted in a 20-bed tertiary ICU from October 2003 to December 2021. All consecutive adult critically ill patients with ARDS were included. ARDS was defined by the Berlin criteria. The primary outcome was 90 day mortality, assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox analysis. Time trends were assessed on 90 day mortality, Sequential Organ-Function Assessment score (SOFA) and non-hepatic SOFA. Ventilation settings were compared between patients with and without cirrhosis.

RESULTS

Of the 7155 patients screened, 863 had a diagnosis of ARDS. Among these ARDS patients, 157(18%) had cirrhosis. The overall 90 day mortality was of 43% (378/863), 57% (90/157) in patients with cirrhosis and 41% (288/706) in patients without cirrhosis (p < 0.001). On survival curves, cirrhosis was associated with 90 day mortality (p < 0.001). Cirrhosis was independently associated with 90 day mortality in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 1.56, 95% confidence interval 1.20-2.02). There was no change in mortality over time in ARDS patients with and without cirrhosis. SOFA (p = 0.04) and non-hepatic SOFA (p = 0.02) increased over time in ARDS patients without cirrhosis, and remained stable in ARDS patients with cirrhosis. Tidal volume, positive end-expiratory pressure, plateau pressure and driving pressure were not different between ARDS patients with and without cirrhosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Although ARDS management improved over the last decades, the 90 day mortality remained high and stable over time for both ARDS patients with (57%) and without cirrhosis (41%). Nevertheless, the severity of patients without cirrhosis has increased over time, while the severity of patients with cirrhosis has remained stable.

Potential of circulating receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 levels as a marker of acute liver injury

The pathogenesis of acute liver failure (ALF) involves cell death. Necroptosis is a newly suggested programmed cell death, and receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) has been reported as a marker for necroptosis. However, there are few reports on necroptosis in ALF. Therefore, we evaluated the role of cell death markers such as cytokeratin (CK) 18, cleaved CK (cCK) 18, and RIPK3 in ALF, as well as cytokines and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). Seventy-one hospitalized patients with acute liver injury (38 nonsevere hepatitis [non-SH]/22 severe hepatitis [SH]/11 ALF) were studied. No significant difference was found for cytokines, but a substantial increase in HGF levels was found following the severity of hepatitis. The non-SH group had lower levels of CK18 and cCK18 than the SH/ALF group. RIPK3 was significantly lower in the non-SH/SH group than in the ALF group. HGF, RIPK3, and albumin levels were found to be important predictive variables. The present study suggests that cCK18, CK18, and RIPK3 are associated with the severity of hepatitis. RIPK3 and other markers related cell death may be useful for understanding the pathogenesis of ALF and as a prognostic marker of acute liver injury.

Acute on Chronic Liver Failure in Patients with Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis: A Review

Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a unique disease process associated with significant short-term mortality wherein patients with either chronic liver disease or cirrhosis suffer rapid decompensation in hepatic function accompanied by extrahepatic organ failures. Alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) is a common precipitant of ACLF and has been shown to uniquely affect the pathophysiology of systemic and hepatic immune responses in patients with ACLF. Treatment of AH-associated ACLF includes supportive measures as well as treatment directed at AH; however, AH-directed therapies unfortunately remain limited and are of suboptimal efficacy.

Pathophysiology and management of liver cirrhosis: from portal hypertension to acute-on-chronic liver failure

Cirrhosis transcends various progressive stages from compensation to decompensation driven by the severity of portal hypertension. The downstream effect of increasing portal hypertension severity leads to various pathophysiological pathways, which result in the cardinal complications of cirrhosis, including ascites, variceal hemorrhage, and hepatic encephalopathy. Additionally, the severity of portal hypertension is the central driver for further advanced complications of hyperdynamic circulation, hepatorenal syndrome, and cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. The management of these individual complications has specific nuances which have undergone significant developments. In contrast to the classical natural history of cirrhosis and its complications which follows an insidious trajectory, acute-on-chronic failure (ACLF) leads to a rapidly downhill course with high short-term mortality unless intervened at the early stages. The management of ACLF involves specific interventions, which have quickly evolved in recent years. In this review, we focus on complications of portal hypertension and delve into an approach toward ACLF.

To TIPS or Not to TIPS in High Risk of Variceal Rebleeding and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Variceal bleeding is a consequence of severe portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis. Although the rate of bleeding has decreased over time, variceal bleeding in the presence of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) carries a high risk of treatment failure and short-term mortality. Treatment and/or removal of precipitating events (mainly bacterial infection and alcoholic hepatitis) and decrease of portal pressure may improve outcome of patients with acute decompensation or ACLF. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPSs), especially in the preemptive situation, have been found to efficiently control bleeding, prevent rebleeding, and reduce short-term mortality. Therefore, TIPS placement should be considered as an option in the management of ACLF patients with variceal bleeding.

The progress to establish optimal animal models for the study of acute-on-chronic liver failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) defines a complicated and multifaceted syndrome characterized by acute liver dysfunction following an acute insult on the basis of chronic liver diseases. It is usually concurrent with bacterial infection and multi-organ failure resulting in high short-term mortality. Based on the cohort studies in ACLF worldwide, the clinical course of ACLF was demonstrated to comprise three major stages including chronic liver injury, acute hepatic/extrahepatic insult, and systemic inflammatory response caused by over-reactive immune system especially bacterial infection. However, due to the lack of optimal experimental animal models for ACLF, the progress of basic study on ACLF is limping. Though several experimental ACLF models were established, none of them can recapitulate and simulate the whole pathological process of ACLF patients. Recently, we have developed a novel mouse model for ACLF combining chronic liver injury [injection of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) for 8 weeks], acute hepatic insult (injection of a double dose CCl₄), and bacterial infection (intraperitoneal injection of Klebsiella pneumoniae), which could recapitulate the major clinical features of patients with ACLF worsened by bacterial infection.

Liver transplantation in Acute-on-Chronic liver failure: Timing of transplantation and selection of patient population

Acute-on-Chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome with high short-term mortality. Alcoholic ACLF is prevalent in European and American countries, while hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related ACLF is more common in the Asia-Pacific region. There is still a lack of a unified definition standard for ACLF, due to various etiologies and pathogeneses in different continents. Currently, liver transplantation (LT) is the most effective treatment for liver failure. However, the shortage of liver sources is still a global problem, which seriously limits the clinical application of an LT. Premature LT aggravates the shortage of liver resources to a certain extent, and too much delay significantly increases the risk of complications and death. Therefore, this study reviews the current literature on LT in the treatment of ACLF and discusses further the challenges for ACLF patients, the timing of LT for ACLF, and the choice of the patient population.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate ameliorates liver injury secondary to Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a dangerous pathogen causing nosocomial pneumonia. P. aeruginosa infection-induced liver damage is another fatal threat, and antibiotic treatment is not effective in relieving P. aeruginosa virulence-triggered damage. We here evaluated the protective effect of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a substance that inhibits virulence of P. aeruginosa through quorum quenching, on liver damage secondary to P. aeruginosa infection. Mice were pretreated with EGCG (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg) for 3 days, and then infected with P. aeruginosa through intratracheal instillation to model acute pneumonia. The mice were sacrificed after 24 h of infection, and samples were harvested for subsequent analysis. EGCG significantly decreased the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Histopathological changes of liver were significantly ameliorated by EGCG. It also significantly reduced oxidative stress that induced liver damage in P. aeruginosa infection, which relied not on the activation of the Nrf₂-HO-1 pathway but on the upregulation of the activity of antioxidative enzymes. Then, the inflammatory response in the liver was tested. EGCG inhibited the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) by blocking the inflammation regulating signaling of the TLR4-myD88-NF-κB pathway. EGCG upregulated the activation of nuclear receptors to stronger the liver protective activity against P. aeruginosa infection. Conclusively, EGCG exhibited a significant hepatoprotective effective against P. aeruginosa infection.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of autoimmune liver disease in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and acute decompensation in China

BACKGROUND

Autoimmune liver disease (AILD) has been considered a relatively uncommon disease in China, epidemiological data for AILD in patients with cirrhosis and acute decompensation (AD) is sparse.

AIM

To investigate the prevalence, outcome and risk factors for AILD in cirrhotic patients complicated with AD in China.

METHODS

We collected data from patients with cirrhosis and AD from two prospective, multicenter cohorts in hepatitis B virus endemic areas. Patients were regularly followed up at the end of 28-d, 90-d and 365-d, or until death or liver transplantation (LT). The primary outcome in this study was 90-d LT-free mortality. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) was assessed on admission and during 28-d hospitalization, according to the diagnostic criteria of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL). Risk factors for death were analyzed with logistic regression model.

RESULTS

In patients with cirrhosis and AD, the overall prevalence of AILD was 9.3% (242/2597). Prevalence of ACLF was significantly lower in AILD cases (14%) than those with all etiology groups with cirrhosis and AD (22.8%) (P < 0.001). Among 242 enrolled AILD patients, the prevalence rates of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and PBC-AIH overlap syndrome (PBC/AIH) were 50.8%, 28.5% and 12.0%, respectively. In ACLF patients, the proportions of PBC, AIH and PBC/AIH were 41.2%, 29.4% and 20.6%. 28-d and 90-d mortality were 43.8% and 80.0% in AILD-related ACLF. The etiology of AILD had no significant impact on 28-d, 90-d or 365-d LT-free mortality in patients with cirrhosis and AD in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Total bilirubin (TB), hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were independent risk factors for 90-d LT-free mortality in multivariate analysis. The development of ACLF during hospitalization only independently correlated to TB and international normalized ratio.

CONCLUSION

AILD was not rare in hospitalized patients with cirrhosis and AD in China, among which PBC was the most common etiology. 90-d LT-free mortality were independently associated with TB, HE and BUN.

Update on hepatorenal Syndrome: Definition, Pathogenesis, and management

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is acute kidney injury (AKI) that occurs without evidence of structural abnormalities in the kidneys in patients with liver disease. It is thought to be due to splanchnic vasculature dilatation that is associated with intense increase of renal arteries' tone, leading to renal cortex ischemia and AKI. Nitric oxide, endotoxins, neurohormonal changes, bacterial infection, high serum bilirubin and bile acids are examples for factors contributing to HRS development. Nevertheless, other unknown factors may have role in HRS pathophysiology. Hence, further discussion and research are needed to clearly understand HRS. Plasma volume restoration and vasoconstrictors are the cornerstone of HRS treatment. Others such as octreotide, noradrenaline, infection control, systemic inflammatory response prevention, shunting, and renal replacement therapy are currently used to manage HRS. Liver or combined liver and kidney transplantation is currently the ultimate cure for HRS. This review was written to help in better understanding the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options for HRS.

Overt hepatic encephalopathy is an independent risk factor for de novo infection in cirrhotic patients with acute decompensation

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of overt hepatic encephalopathy (OHE) is associated with increased mortality. HE is commonly precipitated by infection, but whether HE predisposes to new infection is unclear. This study aimed to test if OHE predisposes to de novo infection during hospitalisation and its association with short-term mortality.

AIMS AND METHODS

Seven hundred and fifty-nine consecutive patients were identified at two institutions from prospectively maintained clinical databases of cirrhotic patients admitted with acute decompensation (AD). Infection and HE data were collected on the day of admission, and the occurrence of de novo infections was assessed for 28 days after admission. EASL-CLIF organ failure criteria were used to determine the presence of organ failures. Multivariable analysis using the logistic regression model was used to assess predictors of 28-day mortality and de novo infection.

RESULTS

Patients were divided into four groups; no baseline OHE or infection (n = 352); OHE with no baseline Infection (n = 221); no OHE but baseline infection (n = 100) and OHE with baseline infection (n = 86). On multivariate analyses, OHE (OR, 1.532 [95% CI, 1.061-2.300, P = 0.024]), and admission to ITU (OR, 2.303 [95% CI, 1.508-3.517, P < 0.001]) were independent risk factors for de novo infection. 28-day mortality was 25.3%, 60.2%, 55.0% and 72.1% in the 4-groups respectively. Age, INR and creatinine were independently predictive of mortality. The presence of overt HE, infection, coagulation, kidney, circulatory, respiratory and liver failures were significantly associated with higher mortality.

CONCLUSION

OHE is an independent risk factor for de novo infection in cirrhotic patients with AD.

Prevalence, Predictors, and Outcomes of Esophageal iasis in Cirrhosis: An Observational Study With Systematic Re and Meta-Analysis (CANDID-VIEW)

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal candidiasis is often neglected and potentially serious infection in cirrhosis patients. Therefore, we evaluated the prevalence, risk factors, and outcomes of esophageal candidiasis (EC) in cirrhotics and did a systematic review to summarize EC's available evidence in cirrhosis.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with cirrhosis posted for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) at a tertiary care institute were screened for EC (cases) between January 2019 and March 2020. EC was diagnosed on EGD findings and/or brush cytology. Controls (without EC) were recruited randomly, and EC's risk factors and outcomes were compared between cases and controls.Four electronic databases were searched for studies describing EC in cirrhosis. Prevalence estimates of EC were pooled on random-effects meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was assessed by I². A checklist for prevalence studies was used to evaluate the risk of bias in studies.

RESULTS

EC was diagnosed in 100 of 2762 patients with cirrhosis (3.6%). Patients with EC had a higher model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) (12.4 vs. 11.2; P = 0.007), acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) (26% vs. 10%; P = 0.003) and concomitant bacterial infections (24% vs. 7%; P = 0.001), as compared with controls. A multivariable model, including recent alcohol binge, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), upper gastrointestinal (UGI) bleed, ACLF, diabetes, and MELD, predicted EC's development in cirrhosis with excellent discrimination (C-index: 0.918). Six percent of cases developed the invasive disease and worsened with multiorgan failures, and four patients with EC died on follow-up.Of 236 articles identified, EC's pooled prevalence from 8 studies (all with low-risk of bias) was 2.1% (95% CI: 0.8-5.8). Risk factors and outcomes of EC in cirrhosis were not reported in the literature.

CONCLUSIONS

EC is not a rare infection in cirrhosis patients, and it may predispose to invasive candidiasis and untimely deaths. Alcohol binge, HCC, UGI bleed, ACLF, diabetes, and higher MELD are the independent predictors of EC in cirrhosis. At-risk patients with cirrhosis or those with deglutition symptoms should be rapidly screened and treated for EC.

Predictors for oesophageal candidiasis in patients with liver cirrhosis

Background and aim

Oesophageal candidiasis (OC) is one of the most common infections among patients with liver cirrhosis. The present study evaluates the potential predictors for OC among liver cirrhosis patients.

Methodology

This retrospective study was conducted in the tertiary care centre of coastal Karnataka from January 2016 to April 2022. Patients aged 18 and above with a confirmed diagnosis of liver cirrhosis were selected. Patients were equally divided into two groups, i.e., case and control, based on the presence and absence of OC.

Results

A total of 1513 patients with cirrhosis underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Of these, 50 (3.3%) were diagnosed with OC and taken into case group. An equal number of patients were selected in control group and matched for gender, age and etiology. Most participants were male (94%), with a mean age of 48.46±11.82 years. A lower serum creatinine value was noted among patients with OC. Binary logistic regression identified serum creatinine as an independent predictor for OC (OR: 7.65, 95% CI: 2.012-29.08; p-value: 0.003). The receiver operating characteristic curve for serum creatinine showed the highest significance with a cut-off of <0.86 mg/dL (AUC: 0.722).

Conclusion

Serum creatinine is the independent predictor for OC among liver cirrhosis patients. The possible mechanism is that cirrhosis is a catabolic state in which muscle protein breakdown exceeds synthesis, resulting in decreased muscle mass and low creatinine levels. However, more prospective studies are required to evaluate the role of sarcopenia with OC among liver cirrhosis patients.

The role of RIPK1 mediated cell death in acute on chronic liver failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is characterized predominantly by non-apoptotic forms of hepatocyte cell death. Necroptosis is a form of programmed lytic cell death in which receptor interacting protein kinase (RIPK) 1, RIPK3 and phosphorylated mixed lineage kinase domain-like (pMLKL) are key components. This study was performed to determine the role of RIPK1 mediated cell death in ACLF. RIPK3 plasma levels and hepatic expression of RIPK1, RIPK3, and pMLKL were measured in healthy volunteers, stable patients with cirrhosis, and in hospitalized cirrhotic patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis, with and without ACLF (AD). The role of necroptosis in ACLF was studied in two animal models of ACLF using inhibitors of RIPK1, necrostatin-1 (NEC-1) and SML2100 (RIPA56). Plasma RIPK3 levels predicted the risk of 28- and 90-day mortality (AUROC, 0.653 (95%CI 0.530–0.776), 0.696 (95%CI 0.593–0.799)] and also the progression of patients from no ACLF to ACLF [0.744 (95%CI 0.593–0.895)] and the results were validated in a 2^nd patient cohort. This pattern was replicated in a rodent model of ACLF that was induced by administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to bile-duct ligated rats and carbon tetrachloride-induced fibrosis mice administered galactosamine (CCL₄/GalN). Suppression of caspase-8 activity in ACLF rodent model was observed suggesting a switch from caspase-dependent cell death to necroptosis. NEC-1 treatment prior to administration of LPS significantly reduced the severity of ACLF manifested by reduced liver, kidney, and brain injury mirrored by reduced hepatic and renal cell death. Similar hepato-protective effects were observed with RIPA56 in a murine model of ACLF induced by CCL₄/GalN. These data demonstrate for the first time the importance of RIPK1 mediated cell death in human and rodent ACLF. Inhibition of RIPK1 is a potential novel therapeutic approach to prevent progression of susceptible patients from no ACLF to ACLF.

Renal and brain failure predict mortality of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure admitted to the intensive care unit

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Acute on Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) is characterized by organ failure and high 28-day mortality. Identifying clinical predictors associated with early mortality could have implications for the treatment of patients with ACLF.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients diagnosed with chronic liver failure that developed ACLF based on the EASL-CLIF Consortium definition admitted to the Intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital between 2012-2018 were included. Bivariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with mortality.

RESULTS

148 patients (55% female) were diagnosed with ACLF of which 55% (n = 82) had ACLF grade 3, 28% (n = 41) grade 2 and 17% (n = 25) grade 1. The median age was 54 years (41-63). Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was the most frequent etiology in 29.8% (n = 44) of the patients with bacterial infection being the most predominant precipitant factor in 58.1% (n = 86). Ninety-day global cumulative survival was only 18%. When divided by grade, mortality reached to 10% in ACLF 3. Moreover, in the multivariate Cox regression analysis, renal failure (HR 3.26, 95% CI (2.13-4.99), brain failure (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.09-2.04) and male sex (HR 1.62, 95% CI 1.10-2.40) were independent predictors of 28- and 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

ACLF is a frequent syndrome among chronic liver disease patients. Brain and renal failure are significantly associated with higher mortality and are independent predictors of 28 and 90-day mortality.

Baseline serum cystatin C as a marker of acute kidney injury in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

A creatinine-based estimation of the renal function lags behind the onset of disease process. Cystatin C is a new marker for acute kidney injury (AKI). However, data are limited in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). We evaluated serum cystatin C as an early predictor of AKI in patients with ACLF.

METHODS

In a prospective observational study, patients with ACLF and normal serum creatinine level were included in the study. Serum cystatin C was analyzed with the development of AKI and the disease outcome.

RESULT

Forty-seven patients (mean age: 43.26±16.34 years; male:female: 2.35:1) were included in the study. AKI developed in 34% of patients during the hospital stay. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the best cutoff for baseline cystatin C was 1.47 mg/L with a sensitivity of 0.94 and specificity of 0.68. The cystatin C ((area under the curve [AUC]=0.853) performance was better than that of the creatinine (AUC=0.699), Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) (AUC=0.661), and model for end-stage liver disease-sodium (MELD-Na) (AUC=0.641). In the univariate analysis, age, platelet count, creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)-modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD), cystatin C, and estimated glomerular filtration rate-serum cystatin C (eGFRcysC) were significantly associated with AKI in ACLF patients. Cystatin C was an independent positive predictor of AKI. Cystatin C was positively correlated with the MELD-Na scores (r=0.374 and p=0.009).

CONCLUSION

Our study supports previous studies reporting that serum cystatin C is a better predictor for AKI development compared to serum creatinine. Cystatin C may be used as an early marker for new-onset AKI in hospitalized patients with ACLF.

Impact of compensated cirrhosis on survival in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

Background and aims

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is considered a main prognostic event in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). We analyzed the 28-day and 90-day mortality in ACLF patients with or without underlying cirrhosis enrolled in the ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) database.

Methods

A total of 1,621 patients were prospectively enrolled and 637 (39.3%) of these patients had cirrhosis. Baseline characteristics, complications and mortality were compared between patients with and without cirrhosis.

Results

Alcohol consumption was more common in cirrhosis than non-cirrhosis (66.4% vs. 44.2%, p < 0.0001), while non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/cryptogenic CLD (10.9% vs 5.8%, p < 0.0001) and chronic HBV reactivation (18.8% vs 11.8%, p < 0.0001) were more common in non-cirrhosis. Only 0.8% of patients underwent liver transplantation. Overall, 28-day and 90-day mortality rates were 39.3% and 49.9%, respectively. Patients with cirrhosis had a greater chance of survival compared to those without cirrhosis both at 28-day (HR = 0.48; 95% CI 0.36–0.63, p < 0.0001) and 90-day (HR = 0.56; 95% CI 0.43–0.72, p < 0.0001), respectively. In alcohol CLD, non-cirrhosis patients had a higher 28-day (49.9% vs. 23.6%, p < 0.001) and 90-day (58.4% vs. 35.2%, p < 0.001) mortality rate than cirrhosis patients. ACLF patients with cirrhosis had longer mean survival than non-cirrhosis patients (25.5 vs. 18.8 days at 28-day and 65.2 vs. 41.2 days at 90-day). Exaggerated systemic inflammation might be the reason why non-cirrhosis patients had a poorer prognosis than those with cirrhosis after ACLF had occurred.

Conclusions

The 28-day and 90-day mortality rates of ACLF patients without cirrhosis were significantly higher than those with cirrhosis in alcoholic CLD. The presence of cirrhosis and its stage should be evaluated at baseline to guide for management. Thai Clinical Trials Registry, TCTR20191226002.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12072-021-10266-8.

Elective Surgery but not Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt Precipitates Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome associated with organ failure and high short-term mortality. Presence of ACLF at interventions, such as surgery or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS), has been shown to determine outcome, but those interventions have also been attributed to precipitate ACLF in different studies. However, dedicated investigation for the risk of ACLF development in these interventions, especially in elective settings, has not been conducted. Patients with cirrhosis undergoing elective surgery were propensity score matched and compared to patients receiving TIPS. The primary endpoint was ACLF development within 28 days after the respective procedure. The secondary endpoint was 3-month and 1-year mortality. In total, 190 patients were included. Within 28 days, ACLF developed in 24% of the surgery and 3% of the TIPS cohorts, with the highest ACLF incidence between 3 and 8 days. By day 28 after the procedure, ACLF improved in the TIPS cohort. In both cohorts, patients developing ACLF within 28 days after surgery or TIPS placement showed significantly worse survival than patients without ACLF development at follow-up. After 12 months, mortality was significantly higher in the surgery cohort compared to the TIPS cohort (40% vs. 23%, respectively; P = 0.031). Regression analysis showed a European Foundation Chronic Liver Failure Consortium acute decompensation (CLIF-C AD) score ≥50 and surgical procedure as independent predictors of ACLF development. CLIF-C AD score ≥50, C-reactive protein, and ACLF development within 28 days independently predicted 1-year mortality. Conclusion: Elective surgical interventions in patients with cirrhosis precipitate ACLF development and ultimately death, but TIPS plays a negligible role in the development of ACLF. Elective surgery in patients with CLIF-C AD ≥50 should be avoided, while the window of opportunity would be CLIF-C AD <50.

World Gastroenterology Organisation classification and a new type-based prognostic model for hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

The acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) classification, proposed by the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO), attempts to cover all ACLF patients diagnosed in the East and West. This study aimed to explore and establish a prognostic model based on this classification.

METHODS

A total of 1159 hepatitis B virus-ACLF patients, enrolled with 90-day follow-up data, were divided into three groups (type A, B, and C) according to WGO ACLF classification and analyzed. A model of ACLF prognosis based on type (MAPT) was developed in a derivation cohort (n = 566); its reproducibility was tested in a validation cohort (n = 593).

RESULTS

A significant difference in 90-day mortality among the three groups was observed (31.1%, type A; 40.9%, type B; 61.4%, type C, P < 0.001). ACLF type was determined to be an independent risk factor of 90-day mortality in HBV-ACLF patients. An MAPT, inclusive of type and five other variables, was built and validated; it was found to be superior to the Chronic Liver Failure (CLIF) Consortium ACLF score, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease, CLIF-Sequential Organ Failure, and Child-Turcotte-Pugh scores in predicting 90-day mortality, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.802 (95% CI [0.763-0.836]), sensitivity of 71.77%, and specificity of 75.82%.

CONCLUSIONS

The MAPT model showed excellent predictive value for 90-day mortality in HBV-ACLF and can likely expand the clinical application of WGO ACLF classification.

A dynamic prediction model for prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure based on the trend of clinical indicators

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a dynamic syndrome, and sequential assessments can reflect its prognosis more accurately. Our aim was to build and validate a new scoring system to predict short-term prognosis using baseline and dynamic data in ACLF. We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with ACLF from three different hospitals in China. To construct the model, we analyzed a training set of 541 patients from two hospitals. The model's performance was evaluated in a validation set of 130 patients from another center. In the training set, multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that age, WGO type, basic etiology, total bilirubin, creatinine, prothrombin activity, and hepatic encephalopathy stage were all independent prognostic factors in ACLF. We designed a dynamic trend score table based on the changing trends of these indicators. Furthermore, a logistic prediction model (DP-ACLF) was constructed by combining the sum of dynamic trend scores and baseline prognostic parameters. All prognostic scores were calculated based on the clinical data of patients at the third day, first week, and second week after admission, respectively, and were correlated with the 90-day prognosis by ROC analysis. Comparative analysis showed that the AUC value for DP-ACLF was higher than for other prognostic scores, including Child-Turcotte-Pugh, MELD, MELD-Na, CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C ACLF, and COSSH-ACLF. The new scoring model, which combined baseline characteristics and dynamic changes in clinical indicators to predict the course of ACLF, showed a better prognostic ability than current scoring systems. Prospective studies are needed to validate these results.

Tri-typing of hepatitis B-related acute-on-chronic liver failure defined by the World Gastroenterology Organization

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Tri-typing of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), as proposed by the World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO), has not been validated in patients infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). We aim to compare the three types of ACLF patients in clinic characteristics.

METHODS

Hospitalized ACLF patients with chronic hepatitis B from five hepatology centers were retrospectively selected and grouped according to the WGO classification. For each group, we investigated laboratory tests, precipitating events, organ failure, and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

Compared with type-B (n = 262, compensated cirrhosis) and type-C (n = 129, decompensated cirrhosis) ACLF, type-A patients (n = 195, non-cirrhosis) were associated with a younger age, the highest platelet counts, the highest aminotransferase levels, and the most active HBV replications. HBV reactivation were more predominant in type-A, while bacterial infections in type-B and type-C ACLF cases. Liver failure (97.4%) and coagulation failure (86.7%) were most common in type-A compared with type-B or type-C ACLF patients. Kidney failure was predominantly identified in type-C subjects (41.9%) and was highest (23/38, 60.5%) in grade 1 ACLF patients. Furthermore, type-C ACLF showed the highest 28-day (65.2%) and 90-day (75.3%) mortalities, compared with type-A (48.7% and 54.4%, respectively) and type-B (48.4% and 62.8%, respectively) ACLF cases. Compared with type-A (11.7%) ACLF patients, the increased mortality from 28 to 90 days was higher in type-B (31.6%) and type-C (37.5%).

CONCLUSION

Tri-typing of HBV-related ACLF in accordance with the WGO definition was able to distinguish clinical characteristics, including precipitating events, organ failure, and short-term prognosis in ACLF patients.

Plasminogen as a prognostic biomarker for HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUNDHBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is hallmarked by high short-term mortality rates, calling for accurate prognostic biomarkers for initial risk stratification.METHODSThree tandem mass tag-labeled (TMT-labeled) quantitative proteomic studies were performed on 10 patients with HBV-related acute hepatic decompensation and on 20 patients with HBV-ACLF. Candidate biomarkers were preliminarily verified in a cross-sectional cohort (n = 144) and further confirmed in 2 prospective cohorts (n = 207 and n = 148).RESULTSPlasminogen, a potential prognostic biomarker for HBV-ACLF, was identified by TMT quantitative proteomics and preliminarily verified in the cross-sectional cohort. Further validation with a prospective cohort (n = 207) showed that plasminogen levels at admission were significantly lower (P < 0.001) in HBV-ACLF nonsurvivors than in survivors. The cumulative survival duration of patients with high plasminogen levels was significantly longer (P < 0.001) than that of patients with low plasminogen levels. During hospitalization, plasminogen levels significantly decreased (P = 0.008) in the deterioration group but significantly increased (P < 0.001) in the improvement group. Additionally, plasminogen levels gradually increased in survivors but gradually decreased in nonsurvivors. The P5 score, a prognostic panel incorporating plasminogen levels, hepatic encephalopathy occurrence, age, international normalized ratio (INR), and total bilirubin, was significantly superior to the Child-Pugh, Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD), Chronic Liver Failure Consortium ACLF (CLIF-C ACLF), Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B (COSSH), and HINT (a prognostic score based on hepatic encephalopathy occurrence, INR, neutrophil count, and thyroid-stimulating hormone) scores (all P < 0.05). The performances of the plasminogen level and P5 score were validated in a second multicenter, prospective cohort (n = 148).CONCLUSIONSPlasminogen is a promising prognostic biomarker for HBV-ACLF, and sequential plasminogen measurements could profile the clinical course of HBV-ACLF. P5 is a high-performance prognostic score for HBV-ACLF.FUNDINGThe National Key Research and Development Program (2017YFC1200204); the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81400589, 81600497); the Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81121002); the Chinese High-Tech Research and Development Programs (2012AA020204); the National S&T Major Project (2012ZX10002004); and the Zhejiang Provincial Medicine and Health Science and Technology Project (2016147735).

Hepatic encephalopathy: Novel insights into classification, pathophysiology and therapy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a frequent and serious complication of both chronic liver disease and acute liver failure. HE manifests as a wide spectrum of neuropsychiatric abnormalities, from subclinical changes (mild cognitive impairment) to marked disorientation, confusion and coma. The clinical and economic burden of HE is considerable, and it contributes greatly to impaired quality of life, morbidity and mortality. This review will critically discuss the latest classification of HE, as well as the pathogenesis and pathophysiological pathways underlying the neurological decline in patients with end-stage liver disease. In addition, management strategies, diagnostic approaches, currently available therapeutic options and novel treatment strategies are discussed.

A prediction model for outcome in patients with HBV-ACLF based on predisposition, injury, response and organ failure

We aimed to develop a prediction model based on the PIRO concept (Predisposition, Injury, Response and Organ failure) for patients with Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) related acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). 774 patients with HBV related ACLF defined in the CANONIC study were analyzed according to PIRO components. Variables associated with mortality were selected into the prediction model. Based on the regression coefficients, a score for each PIRO component was developed, and a classification and regression tree was used to stratify patients into different nodes. The prediction model was then validated using an independent cohort (n = 155). Factors significantly associated with 90-day mortality were: P: age, gender and ACLF type; I: drug, infection, surgery, and variceal bleeding; R: systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), spontaneous bacteria peritonitis (SBP), and pneumonia; and O: the CLIF consortium organ failure score (CLIF-C OFs). The areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve (95% confidence interval) for the combined PIRO model for 90-day mortality were 0.77 (0.73-0.80). Based on the scores for each of the PIRO components and the cut-offs estimated from the classification and regression tree, patients were stratified into different nodes with different estimated death probability. Based on the PIRO concept, a new prediction model was developed for patients with HBV related ACLF, allowing stratification into different clusters using the different scores obtained in each PIRO component. The proposed model will likely help to stratify patients at different risk, defining individual management plans, assessing criteria for specific therapies, and predicting outcomes.

Update on diagnosis and management of sepsis in cirrhosis: Current advances

Sepsis and septic shock are catastrophic disease entities that portend high mortality in patients with cirrhosis. In cirrhosis, hemodynamic perturbations, immune dysregulation, and persistent systemic inflammation with altered gut microbiota in the background of portal hypertension enhance the risk of infections and resistance to antimicrobials. Patients with cirrhosis develop recurrent life-threatening infections that progress to multiple organ failure. The definition, pathophysiology, and treatment options for sepsis have been ever evolving. In this exhaustive review, we discuss novel advances in the understanding of sepsis, describe current and future biomarkers and scoring systems for sepsis, and delineate newer modalities and adjuvant therapies for the treatment of sepsis from existing literature to extrapolate the same concerning the management of sepsis in cirrhosis. We also provide insights into the role of gut microbiota in initiation and progression of sepsis and finally, propose a treatment algorithm for management of sepsis in patients with cirrhosis.

Early Transplantation in Acute on Chronic Liver Failure: Who and When

Purpose of Review

Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a unique syndrome that afflicts patients with chronic liver disease and results in high short-term mortality, > 50% at 28 days in patients with severe ACLF (grade 3, ACLF-3). Given this prognosis, there is an urgent need to understand risk factors for this condition, as well as selection criteria for patients who may benefit from liver transplantation (LT).

Recent Findings

Several studies have identified risk factors for developing ACLF, including higher model for end-stage liver disease score, anemia, and morbid obesity, as well ACLF mortality, such as infection, increasing organ failures, and higher white blood cell count. Prognostic tools are now available as online calculators. Regarding LT in ACLF, data suggest that even patients with ACLF-3 may do well after LT, with 1-year survival > 80% in several studies. Improvement in organ failures prior to LT, higher donor quality, and lack of mechanical ventilation further improve outcomes. Importantly, ACLF-3 patients may have higher short-term wait list mortality than patients listed status-1a, suggesting that increased LT prioritization may be warranted.

Summary

ACLF is a high-mortality condition that frequently responds well to LT. Ongoing efforts to understand the natural history of ACLF and predictors of improved post-LT survival will facilitate LT criteria for this condition, which may ultimately include increased LT prioritization for selected patients.

Precipitants of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: An Opportunity for Preventative Measures to Improve Outcomes

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a feared complication that can develop at any stage of chronic liver disease. The incidence of ACLF is increasing, leading to a significant burden to both the affected individual and health care systems. To date, our understanding of ACLF suggests that it may be initiated by precipitants such as systemic infection, alcohol use, or viral hepatitis. The prevalence of these vary significantly by geography and underlying liver disease, and these precipitants have a varying impact on patient prognosis. Herein, we present a review of our current understanding of the precipitants of ACLF, including gaps in current data and opportunities for meaningful intervention and areas of future research.

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).

Language impairment in adults with end-stage liver disease: application of natural language processing towards patient-generated health records

End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is associated with cognitive impairment ranging from subtle alterations in attention to overt hepatic encephalopathy that resolves after transplant. Natural language processing (NLP) may provide a useful method to assess cognitive status in this population. We identified 81 liver transplant recipients with ESLD (4/2013–2/2018) who sent at least one patient-to-provider electronic message pre-transplant and post-transplant, and matched them 1:1 to “healthy” controls—who had similar disease, but had not been evaluated for liver transplant—by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and liver disease. Messages written by patients pre-transplant and post-transplant and controls was compared across 19 NLP measures using paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. While there was no difference overall in word length, patients with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease Score (MELD) ≥ 30 (n = 31) had decreased word length in pre-transplant messages (3.95 [interquartile range (IQR) 3.79, 4.14]) compared to post-transplant (4.13 [3.96, 4.28], p = 0.01) and controls (4.2 [4.0, 4.4], p = 0.01); there was no difference between post-transplant and controls (p = 0.4). Patients with MELD ≥ 30 had fewer 6+ letter words in pre-transplant messages (19.5% [16.4, 25.9] compared to post-transplant (23.4% [20.0, 26.7] p = 0.02) and controls (25.0% [19.2, 29.4]; p = 0.01). Overall, patients had increased sentence length pre-transplant (12.0 [9.8, 13.7]) compared to post-transplant (11.0 [9.2, 13.3]; p = 0.046); the same was seen for MELD ≥ 30 (12.3 [9.8, 13.7] pre-transplant vs. 10.8 [9.6, 13.0] post-transplant; p = 0.050). Application of NLP to patient-generated messages identified language differences—longer sentences with shorter words—that resolved after transplant. NLP may provide opportunities to detect cognitive impairment in ESLD.

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.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Death in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Patients Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is an inflammation score recognized as associated with outcome. Although inflammation has been shown to correlate with the development of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), we sought to investigate the role of NLR in predicting 90-day mortality in cirrhotic patients experiencing ACLF. We performed a retrospective cohort study involving a total of 108 consecutive cirrhotic patients admitted in the intensive care unit (ICU). NLR, clinical and biological data were recorded. Of the total, 75 patients had ACLF. The 90-day mortality rate was 53%. ACLF patients displayed higher NLR values in comparison with cirrhotic patients without ACLF throughout the ICU stay. NLR proved more elevated in nonsurvivors ACLF patients, with mortality correlating with increasing quartiles of NLR. On multivariable Cox regression analysis, NLR was found to be a predictor of mortality along with the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and mechanical ventilation requirement. The model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score was not predictive of 90-days mortality. Performance analysis revealed an area under curve of 0.71 [95% confidence interval: 0.59–0.82] regarding NLR capacity to predict 90-days mortality. When including NLR, SOFA score, and mechanical ventilation requirement into the final model, the area under curve was significantly higher (0.81 [95% confidence interval: 0.72–0.91]).

These findings suggest that NLR is associated with mortality in ACLF patients admitted to the ICU. Combining NLR, SOFA score, and the need for mechanical ventilation could be a useful prognostic tool to identify ACLF patients at a higher risk of mortality.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure in patients with alcohol-related liver disease

The spectrum of alcohol-related liver diseases (ALD) includes steatosis, steatohepatitis, progressive liver fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a recently defined entity that occurs in patients with chronic liver diseases and is characterised by acute decompensation, organ failures and a high risk of short-term mortality. Active alcohol consumption, alcoholic hepatitis and bacterial infections are the most frequent events precipitating the development of ACLF in the context of ALD (ALD-ACLF). The specific management of this entity remains unknown and the place of salvage liver transplantation controversial. This overview details the current knowledge on specific aspects of epidemiology, pathophysiology, prognosis and management of ALD-ACLF.

Long-term Prognosis of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Survivors

GOALS

We aimed to investigate significant factors influencing the long-term prognosis of patients who survived acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

BACKGROUND

The mortality of ACLF is predominantly affected by the organ failure severity. However, long-term outcomes of patients who survive ACLF are not known.

STUDY

A cohort of 1084 cirrhotic patients who survived for more than 3 months following acute deterioration of liver function was prospectively followed. ACLF was defined by the European Association for the Study of the Liver Chronic Liver Failure Consortium definition.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up duration was 19.4±9.9 months. In the subgroup of patients without previous acute decompensation (AD), ACLF occurrence did not affect long-term outcomes. However, in patients with previous AD, ACLF negatively affected long-term transplant-free survival even after overcoming ACLF (hazard ratio, 2.00, P=0.012). Previous AD was the significant predictive factor of long-term mortality and was independent of the Model for End-stage Liver Disease score in these ACLF-surviving patients. Organ failure severity did not affect transplant-free survival in patients who survived an ACLF episode.

CONCLUSIONS

A prior history of AD is the most important factor affecting long-term outcomes following an ACLF episode regardless of Model for End-stage Liver Disease score. Prevention of a first AD episode may improve the long-term transplant-free survival of liver cirrhosis patients.

Circulating proteomic panels for diagnosis and risk stratification of acute-on-chronic liver failure in patients with viral hepatitis B

Chronic HBV infection (CHB) can lead to acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) characterized by high mortality. This study aimed to reveal ACLF-related proteomic alterations, from which protein based diagnostic and prognostic scores for HBV-ACLF were developed. Methods: Ten healthy controls, 16 CHB, and 19 HBV-ACLF according to COSSH (Chinese group on the study of severe hepatitis B) criteria were enrolled to obtain the comprehensive proteomic portrait related to HBV-ACLF initiation and progression. Potential markers of HBV-ACLF were further selected based on organ specificity and functionality. An additional cohort included 77 healthy controls, 92 CHB and 71 HBV-ACLF was used to validate the proteomic signatures via targeted proteomic assays. Results: Significant losses of plasma proteins related to multiple functional clusters, including fatty acid metabolism/transport, immuno-response, complement and coagulation systems, were observed in ACLF patients. In the validation study, 28 proteins were confirmed able to separate ACLF, CHB patients. A diagnostic classifier P4 (APOC3, HRG, TF, KLKB1) was built to differentiate ACLF from CHB with high accuracy (auROC = 0.956). A prognostic model P8 (GC, HRG, HPR, SERPINA6, age, NEU, INR and total protein) was built to distinguish survivors from non-survivors in 28 and 90-days follow-up (auROC = 0.882, 0.871), and to stratify ACLF patients into risk subgroups showing significant difference in 28 and 90-days mortality (HR=7.77, 7.45, both P<0.0001). In addition, P8 score correlated with ACLF grades and numbers of extra-hepatic organ failures in ACLF patients, and was able to predict ACLF-associated coagulation and brain failure within 90 days (auROC = 0.815, 0.842). Conclusions: Proteomic signatures developed in this study reflected the deficiency of key hematological functions in HBV-ACLF patients, and show potential for HBV-ACLF diagnosis and risk prediction in complementary to current clinical based parameters.

Validation of CLIF-C ACLF score to define a threshold for futility of intensive care support for patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

Background

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe complication of cirrhosis and is defined by organ failure and high rates of short-term mortality. Patients with ACLF are managed with multiorgan support in the intensive care unit (ICU). Currently, it is unclear when this supportive care becomes futile, particularly in patients who are not candidates for liver transplant. The aim of this study was to determine whether the currently available prognostic scores can identify patients with ACLF in whom prolonged ICU care is likely to be futile despite maximal treatment efforts.

Methods

Data of 202 consecutive patients with ACLF admitted to the ICU at the Royal Free Hospital London between 2005 and 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic scores for chronic liver diseases, such as Child-Pugh, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), European Foundation for the study of chronic liver failure (CLIF-C) organ failure (OF), and CLIF-C ACLF, were calculated 48 hours after ICU admission and correlated with patient outcome after 28 days.

Results

The CLIF-C ACLF score, compared with all other scores, most accurately predicted 28-day mortality, with an area under the receiver operator characteristic of 0.8 (CLIF-C OF, 0.75; MELD, 0.68; Child-Pugh, 0.66). A CLIF-C ACLF score cutoff ≥ 70 identified patients with a 100% mortality within 28 days. These patients had elevated inflammatory parameters representing a systemic inflammatory response, most often renal failure, compared with patients below this cutoff.

Conclusions

Patients with ACLF and high CLIF-C ACLF score (≥ 70) after 48 hours of intensive care may reach a threshold of futility for further ongoing intensive support. The best treatment options in this scenario remain to be determined but may include palliative care.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13054-018-2156-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

HINT: a novel prognostic model for patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) deteriorates rapidly in the short term, which necessitates accurate initial clinical decision making.

AIMS

To develop a novel prognostic score for patients with HBV-ACLF and clarify the role of thyroid hormones in HBV-ACLF.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of 635 HBV-ACLF patients was enrolled to develop and validate a novel prognostic score for HBV-ACLF. Additionally, a cross-sectional cohort (n = 199) and a prospective longitudinal HBV-ACLF cohort (n = 56) were recruited to clarify the association between thyroid hormone status and the 30-day mortality of HBV-ACLF.

RESULTS

HINT, a novel prognostic score based on hepatic encephalopathy, INR, neutrophil count, and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) using the deriving cohort (n = 426), was significantly higher in non-survivors than survivors (1.17 ± 2.38 vs -1.87 ± 1.26, P < 0.0001). The AUROC of HINT for 30-day mortality was 0.889, which was significantly higher than that of the Child-Pugh, MELD, CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C ACLF, and COSSH-ACLF scores (all P < 0.05). These results were confirmed in the validation cohort (n = 209), except that the AUROC of HINT was comparable to that of COSSH-ACLF (P = 0.357). Among thyroid hormones, only the TSH level on admission was significantly lower in non-survivors than in survivors (P = 0.01). During the 14-day longitudinal observation, TSH levels increased significantly in the improvement group (P < 0.001) but did not change in the deterioration or fluctuation groups, and gradually increased in survivors (P < 0.001) but not in non-survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

HINT, as a prognostic score for HBV-ACLF, is simpler than and superior to the Child-Pugh, MELD, CLIF-SOFA, and CLIF-C ACLF scores and at least comparable with the COSSH-ACLF score. Sequential TSH measurements may facilitate prediction of the clinical course of ACLF.

Systemic Inflammation and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: Too Much, Not Enough

ACLF is a specific, but complex and multifactorial form of acute decompensation of cirrhosis and is characterized by an extraordinary dynamic natural course, rapidly evolving organ failure, and high short-term mortality. Dysbalanced immune function is central to its pathogenesis and outcome with an initial excessive systemic inflammatory response that drives organ failure and mortality. Later in its course, immuno-exhaustion/immunoparalysis prevails predisposing the patient to secondary infectious events and reescalation in end-organ dysfunction and mortality. The management of patients with ACLF is still poorly defined. However, as its pathophysiology is gradually being unravelled, potential therapeutic targets emerge that warrant further study such as restoring or substituting albumin via plasma exchange or via albumin dialysis and evaluating usefulness of TLR4 antagonists, modulators of gut dysbiosis (pre- or probiotics), and FXR-agonists.

Acid-base disorders in liver disease

Alongside the kidneys and lungs, the liver has been recognised as an important regulator of acid-base homeostasis. While respiratory alkalosis is the most common acid-base disorder in chronic liver disease, various complex metabolic acid-base disorders may occur with liver dysfunction. While the standard variables of acid-base equilibrium, such as pH and overall base excess, often fail to unmask the underlying cause of acid-base disorders, the physical-chemical acid-base model provides a more in-depth pathophysiological assessment for clinical judgement of acid-base disorders, in patients with liver diseases. Patients with stable chronic liver disease have several offsetting acidifying and alkalinising metabolic acid-base disorders. Hypoalbuminaemic alkalosis is counteracted by hyperchloraemic and dilutional acidosis, resulting in a normal overall base excess. When patients with liver cirrhosis become critically ill (e.g., because of sepsis or bleeding), this fragile equilibrium often tilts towards metabolic acidosis, which is attributed to lactic acidosis and acidosis due to a rise in unmeasured anions. Interestingly, even though patients with acute liver failure show significantly elevated lactate levels, often, no overt acid-base disorder can be found because of the offsetting hypoalbuminaemic alkalosis. In conclusion, patients with liver diseases may have multiple co-existing metabolic acid-base abnormalities. Thus, knowledge of the pathophysiological and diagnostic concepts of acid-base disturbances in patients with liver disease is critical for therapeutic decision making.