Systemic inflammatory response and serum lipopolysaccharide levels predict multiple organ failure and death in alcoholic hepatitis

Treatment of Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis

Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a syndrome of jaundice and liver failure that occurs in a minority of heavy consumers of alcohol. The diagnosis usually is based on a history of heavy alcohol use, findings from blood tests, and exclusion of other liver diseases by blood and imaging analyses. Liver biopsy specimens, usually collected via the transjugular route, should be analyzed to confirm a diagnosis of AH in patients with an atypical history or presentation. The optimal treatment for patients with severe AH is prednisolone, possibly in combination with N-acetyl cysteine. At present, only short-term increases in survival can be expected-no treatment has been found to increase patient survival beyond 3 months. Abstinence is essential for long-term survival. New treatment options, including liver transplantation, are being tested in trials and results eagerly are awaited.

CLIF-SOFA score and SIRS are independent prognostic factors in patients with hepatic encephalopathy due to alcoholic liver cirrhosis

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complication associated with worst prognosis in decompensated liver cirrhosis (LC) patients. Previous studies have identified prognostic factors for HE, and recent studies reported an association between systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and liver disease. This study aimed to identify prognostic factors for 30-day mortality in alcoholic LC patients with HE who visited the emergency department (ED).This was a retrospective study of alcoholic LC patients with HE from January 1, 2010, to April 30, 2015. The baseline characteristics, complications of portal hypertension, laboratory values, Child-Pugh class, Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, chronic liver failure-sequential organ failure assessment (CLIF-SOFA) score, and SIRS criteria were assessed. The presence of 2 or more SIRS criteria was considered SIRS. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and prognostic factors for patients with HE visiting the ED.In total, 105 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Overall, the 30-day mortality rate was 6.7% (7 patients).Significant variables were hepatorenal syndrome, international normalized ratio, white blood cell count, total bilirubin level, MELD score CLIF-SOFA score, and SIRS in univariate analysis. CLIF-SOFA score and SIRS were the significant factors in the multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 5.56, 15.98; 95% confidence interval 1.18-26.18, 1.58-161.37; P = 0.03, P = 0.02). The mortality rates differed according to the CLIF-SOFA score (P < 0.01).The CLIF-SOFA score and SIRS in alcoholic LC patients with HE visiting the ED are independent predictors of 30-day mortality.

Corticosteroids and occurrence of and mortality from infections in severe alcoholic hepatitis: a meta-analysis of randomized trials

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Prednisolone is the first-line therapy for severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH). Patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis often develop severe infections that negatively impact short-term prognosis.

METHODS

We performed this meta-analysis to assess the effect of corticosteroids on the occurrence of and mortality from infections in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. Randomized controlled trials examining the use of corticosteroids in severe alcoholic hepatitis and reporting data on infection rates and mortality were included. Random effects model was used to pool the data comparing arms with and without steroids for the occurrence of infection, 28-day mortality and cause specific mortality.

RESULTS

Of 1062 patients (528 steroids treated) without infection at baseline from 12 studies, infection was reported in 213 (113 steroids treated) patients without differences comparing arms with and without steroids (OR: 0.98; CI: 0.49-1.94). However, frequency was higher for occurrence of fungal infections among steroid-treated patients (eight of 528 vs. one of 534; P = 0.02). Steroids provided mortality benefit at 28 days (OR: 0.55; CI: 0.34-0.90) mainly for liver failure-related death (OR: 0.46; CI: 0.24-0.87) without differences on mortality from infection (OR: 1.19; CI: 0.38-3.73) or gastrointestinal bleeding (OR: 0.90; CI: 0.43-1.87). Three of nine patients with fungal infections died, all in corticosteroid arm.

CONCLUSIONS

Corticosteroids do not increase occurrence of or mortality from bacterial infections in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. Further studies are needed to develop strategies of reducing the risk of fungal infection with use of steroids for patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis.

New treatment options for alcoholic hepatitis

The burden of alcoholic liver disease has rapidly grown in the past two decades and is expected to increase further in the coming years. Alcoholic hepatitis, the most florid presentation of alcoholic liver disease, continues to have high morbidity and mortality, with significant financial and healthcare burden with limited treatment options. Steroids remain the current standard of care in severe alcoholic hepatitis in carefully selected patients. No specific treatments are available for those patients who are steroid ineligible, intolerant or unresponsive. Liver transplant has shown good short-term outcome; however, feasibility, ethical and economic concerns remain. Modification of gut microbiota composition and their products, such as lipopolysaccharide, nutritional interventions, immune modulation, increasing steroid sensitivity, genetic polymorphism and epigenetic modification of alcohol induced liver damage, augmenting hepatic regeneration using GCSF are potential therapeutic avenues in steroid non-responsive/ineligible patients. With better understanding of the pathophysiology, using “Omics” platforms, newer options for patients with alcoholic hepatitis are expected soon.

Predictive formula for acute liver failure is useful for predicting the prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

AIM

The prognosis of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is extremely poor in comparison to acute liver failure (ALF). We aimed to establish methods for the early diagnosis of ACLF and its severity to identify the patients with a poor prognosis.

METHODS

The laboratory data at admission of 30 ACLF and 46 ALF patients were compared. Three established prognosis prediction models (Model for End-Stage Liver Disease [MELD]; MELD modified by serum sodium concentration, [MELD-Na]; and the Japan hepatic encephalopathy prediction model [J-HEPM]) were assessed using area under the receiver-operator curve (AUROC) values.

RESULTS

No significant difference was found in the laboratory data of the two patient groups. J-HEPM was able to predict the outcome of the ACLF subjects (AUROC = 0.93).

CONCLUSION

Although ACLF could not be differentially diagnosed from ALF at admission from the laboratory data alone, the J-HEPM effectively predicted the prognosis of liver failure in patients with ACLF. These findings indicate that ACLF patients with high J-HEPM scores require earlier and more intensive care than ALF patients.

SIRS at Admission Is a Predictor of AKI Development and Mortality in Hospitalized Patients with Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis

BACKGROUND

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is associated with an increased risk of hepatic encephalopathy, renal failure, and poor outcome in patients with cirrhosis; however, there is a paucity of studies on this entity for severe alcoholic hepatitis (SAH).

AIM

To evaluate SIRS at baseline as a predictor of development of acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality in patients with SAH.

METHODS

Consecutive in-patients with SAH (discriminant function ≥ 32) without AKI at baseline were followed up for the development and progression of AKI (AKIN criteria).

RESULTS

Of the 365 patients (mean age 45.5 ± 9.5, 356 males), SIRS at baseline was present in 236 (64.6%). AKI developed in 122 (33.4%), of which 50 (40.9%) had progression of AKI. SIRS was associated with bacterial infections in 96 (40.6%) and in 140 (59.3%) occurred in the absence of proven infection microbiologically. The presence of SIRS predicted both AKI development (p < 0.001, OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.7-4.8) and AKI progression (p = 0.002, OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.48-7.21). Resolution of AKI also had a significant inverse association with SIRS (p = 0.001). High MELD score (p = 0.002, HR 1.1, 95% CI 1.02-1.09), in-hospital progression of AKI (p = 0.04, HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.003-2.38), and SIRS (p = 0.004, HR 1.98, 95% CI 1.25-3.1) were significant predictors of 90-day mortality (model 1), while high MELD score (p < 0.001, HR 1.1, 95% CI 1.04-1.12) and bacterial infections (p = 0.001, HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.27-2.6) were independent predictors of mortality in the second multivariate model (model 2).

CONCLUSION

SIRS at admission predicts both the development of AKI and 90-day mortality in patients with SAH. This could definitely have a therapeutic and prognostic implication.

Presence of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome Predicts a Poor Clinical Outcome in Dogs with a Primary Hepatitis

Primary hepatopathies are a common cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs. The underlying aetiology of most cases of canine hepatitis is unknown. Consequently, treatments are typically palliative and it is difficult to provide accurate prognostic information to owners. In human hepatology there is accumulating data which indicates that the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a common and debilitating event in patients with liver diseases. For example, the presence of SIRS has been linked to the development of complications such as hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and is associated with a poor clinical outcome in humans with liver diseases. In contrast, the relationship between SIRS and clinical outcome in dogs with a primary hepatitis is unknown. Seventy dogs with histologically confirmed primary hepatitis were enrolled into the study. Additional clinical and clinicopathological information including respiratory rate, heart rate, temperature, white blood cell count, sodium, potassium, sex, presence of ascites, HE score, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bilirubin and red blood cell concentration were available in all cases. The median survival of dogs with a SIRS score of 0 or 1 (SIRS low) was 231 days compared to a median survival of 7 days for dogs with a SIRS score of 2, 3 or 4 (SIRS high) (p<0.001). A Cox proportional hazard model, which included all other co-variables, revealed that a SIRS high score was an independent predictor of a poor clinical outcome. The effect of modulating inflammation on treatment outcomes in dogs with a primary hepatitis is deserving of further study.

Hepatocytes: a key cell type for innate immunity

Hepatocytes, the major parenchymal cells in the liver, play pivotal roles in metabolism, detoxification, and protein synthesis. Hepatocytes also activate innate immunity against invading microorganisms by secreting innate immunity proteins. These proteins include bactericidal proteins that directly kill bacteria, opsonins that assist in the phagocytosis of foreign bacteria, iron-sequestering proteins that block iron uptake by bacteria, several soluble factors that regulate lipopolysaccharide signaling, and the coagulation factor fibrinogen that activates innate immunity. In this review, we summarize the wide variety of innate immunity proteins produced by hepatocytes and discuss liver-enriched transcription factors (e.g. hepatocyte nuclear factors and CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins), pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g. interleukin (IL)-6, IL-22, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α), and downstream signaling pathways (e.g. signal transducer and activator of transcription factor 3 and nuclear factor-κB) that regulate the expression of these innate immunity proteins. We also briefly discuss the dysregulation of these innate immunity proteins in chronic liver disease, which may contribute to an increased susceptibility to bacterial infection in patients with cirrhosis.

Update on Alcoholic Hepatitis

Alcoholic liver disease is one of the most prevalent liver diseases worldwide, and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Alcoholic hepatitis is a severe form of liver injury in patients with alcohol abuse, can present as an acute on chronic liver failure associated with a rapid decline in liver synthetic function, and consequent increase in mortality. Despite therapy, about 30%-50% of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis eventually die. The pathogenic pathways that lead to the development of alcoholic hepatitis are complex and involve oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, and dysregulation of the innate and adaptive immune system with injury to the parenchymal cells and activation of hepatic stellate cells. As accepted treatment approaches are currently limited, a better understanding of the pathophysiology would be required to generate new approaches that improve outcomes. This review focuses on recent advances in the diagnosis, pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis and novel treatment strategies.

Mechanisms of decompensation and organ failure in cirrhosis: From peripheral arterial vasodilation to systemic inflammation hypothesis

The peripheral arterial vasodilation hypothesis has been most influential in the field of cirrhosis and its complications. It has given rise to hundreds of pathophysiological studies in experimental and human cirrhosis and is the theoretical basis of life-saving treatments. It is undisputed that splanchnic arterial vasodilation contributes to portal hypertension and is the basis for manifestations such as ascites and hepatorenal syndrome, but the body of research generated by the hypothesis has revealed gaps in the original pathophysiological interpretation of these complications. The expansion of our knowledge on the mechanisms regulating vascular tone, inflammation and the host-microbiota interaction require a broader approach to advanced cirrhosis encompassing the whole spectrum of its manifestations. Indeed, multiorgan dysfunction and failure likely result from a complex interplay where the systemic spread of bacterial products represents the primary event. The consequent activation of the host innate immune response triggers endothelial molecular mechanisms responsible for arterial vasodilation, and also jeopardizes organ integrity with a storm of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Thus, the picture of advanced cirrhosis could be seen as the result of an inflammatory syndrome in contradiction with a simple hemodynamic disturbance.

Alcoholic hepatitis: Can we outwit the Grim Reaper?

Whether you are an avid reader of the Book Thief or a fan of the Blue Oyster Cult, you know that messing with me is serious business. Be warned, that if you want to outwit me, you better come armed with the ability to predict your future.

Managing alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease continues to be a significant cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality throughout the world. A number of diagnostic and prognostic models have been developed in the management of this condition, although specific roles for liver biopsy still remain particularly in the setting of alcoholic hepatitis. Despite a large number of recent treatment trials, the ideal pharmacotherapy approach remains undefined. Most essential is the supportive care and focus on abstinence and nutrition. Owing in part to a great deal of attention from governmental funding sources, a number of new treatment approaches are undergoing rigorous evaluation, hopefully providing future treatment options in this very severe condition.