Declining mortality in critically ill patients with cirrhosis in Australia and New Zealand between 2000 and 2015

One-year transplant-free survival following hospital discharge after ICU admission for ACLF in the Netherlands

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Patients with acute decompensation of cirrhosis or acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) often require intensive care unit (ICU) admission for organ support. Existing research, mostly from specialized liver transplant centers, largely addresses short-term outcomes. Our aim was to evaluate in-hospital mortality and 1-year transplant-free survival after hospital discharge in the Netherlands.

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide observational cohort study, including patients with a history of cirrhosis or first complications of cirrhotic portal hypertension admitted to ICUs in the Netherlands between 2012 and 2020. The influence of ACLF grade at ICU admission on 1-year transplant-free survival after hospital discharge among hospital survivors was evaluated using unadjusted Kaplan-Meier survival curves and an adjusted Cox proportional hazard model.

RESULTS

Out of the 3,035 patients, 1,819 (59.9%) had ACLF-3. 1,420 patients (46.8%) survived hospitalization after ICU admission. The overall probability of 1-year transplant-free survival after hospital discharge was 0.61 (95% CI 0.59-0.64). This rate varied with ACLF grade at ICU admission, being highest in patients without ACLF (0.71; 95% CI 0.66-0.76) and lowest in those with ACLF-3 (0.53 [95% CI 0.49-0.58]) (log-rank p <0.0001). However, after adjusting for age, malignancy status and MELD score, ACLF grade at ICU admission was not associated with an increased risk of liver transplantation or death within 1 year after hospital discharge.

CONCLUSION

In this nationwide cohort study, ACLF grade at ICU admission did not independently affect 1-year transplant-free survival after hospital discharge. Instead, age, presence of malignancy and the severity of liver disease played a more prominent role in influencing transplant-free survival after hospital discharge.

IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS

Patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure often require intensive care unit (ICU) admission for organ support. In these patients, short-term mortality is high, but long-term outcomes of survivors remain unknown. Using a large nationwide cohort of ICU patients, we discovered that the severity of acute-on-chronic liver failure at ICU admission does not influence 1-year transplant-free survival after hospital discharge. Instead, age, malignancy status and overall severity of liver disease are more critical factors in determining their long-term survival.

Rising hospital admissions for alcohol-related cirrhosis and the impact of sex and comorbidity - a data linkage study

OBJECTIVES

International studies have shown shifting demographic data and rising hospitalizations for alcohol-related cirrhosis (ARC), with a paucity of data from Australia. We examined hospitalizations, mortality and demographic data for people admitted with ARC over the last decade in Queensland, Australia.

STUDY DESIGN

Data linkage study.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of adults hospitalized with ARC during 2008-2019 was performed using state-wide admissions data. International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, codes identified admissions with the principal diagnosis of ARC based on validated algorithms. Comorbidity was assessed using the Charlson Comorbidity Index.

RESULTS

A total of 7152 individuals had 24,342 hospital admissions with ARC (16,388 were for ARC). There was a predominance of males (72.6%) and age ≥50 years (80.4%) at index admission. Females were admitted at a significantly younger age than men (59% of women and 43% of men were aged <60 years, P < 0.001). Comorbidities were common, with 45.1% of people having at least one comorbidity. More than half (54.6%) of the patients died over the study period (median follow-up time was 5.1 years; interquartile range 2.4-8.6). Women had significantly lower mortality, with 47.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 45.0-50.2) probability of 5-year survival, compared with 40.1% (95% CI 38.5-41.6) in men. In multivariable analysis, this was attributable to significantly lower age and comorbidity burden in women. Significantly lower survival was seen in people with higher comorbidity burden. Overall, the number of admissions for ARC increased 2.2-fold from 869 admissions in 2008 to 1932 in 2019.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospital admissions for ARC have risen substantially in the last decade. Females were admitted at a younger age, with fewer comorbidities and had lower mortality compared with males. The association between greater comorbidity burden and higher mortality has important clinical implications, as comorbidity-directed interventions may reduce mortality.

Critical care outcomes in decompensated cirrhosis: a United States national inpatient sample cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Prior assessments of critical care outcomes in patients with cirrhosis have shown conflicting results. We aimed to provide nationwide generalizable results of critical care outcomes in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study using the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2019. Adults with cirrhosis who required respiratory intubation, central venous catheter placement or both (n = 12,945) with principal diagnoses including: esophageal variceal hemorrhage (EVH, 24%), hepatic encephalopathy (58%), hepatorenal syndrome (HRS, 14%) or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (4%) were included. A comparison cohort of patients without cirrhosis requiring intubation or central line placement for any principal diagnosis was included.

RESULTS

Those with cirrhosis were younger (mean 58 vs. 63 years, p < 0.001) and more likely to be male (62% vs. 54%, p < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was higher in the cirrhosis cohort (33.1% vs. 26.6%, p < 0.001) and ranged from 26.7% in EVH to 50.6% HRS. Mortality when renal replacement therapy was utilized (n = 1580, 12.2%) was 46.5% in the cirrhosis cohort, compared to 32.3% in other hospitalizations (p < 0.001), and was lowest in EVH (25.7%) and highest in HRS (51.5%). Mortality when cardiopulmonary resuscitation was used was increased in the cirrhosis cohort (88.0% vs. 72.1%, p < 0.001) and highest in HRS (95.7%).

CONCLUSIONS

One-third of patients with cirrhosis requiring critical care did not survive to discharge in this U.S. nationwide assessment. While outcomes were worse than in patients without cirrhosis, the results do suggest better outcomes compared to previous studies.

Liver transplant selection criteria and outcomes in critically ill patients with ACLF

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Retrospective studies have reported good results with liver transplantation (LTx) for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in selected patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the selection process for LTx in patients with ACLF admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and to assess outcomes.

METHODS

This prospective, non-interventional, single high-volume center study collected data on patients with ACLF admitted to the ICU between 2017-2020.

RESULTS

Among 200 patients (mean age: 55.0 ± 11.2 years and 74% male), 96 patients (48%) were considered potential candidates for LTx. Unfavourable addictology criteria (n = 76) was the main reason for LTx ineligibility. Overall, 69 patients were listed for LTx (34.5%) and 50 were transplanted (25% of the whole population). The 1-year survival in the LTx group was significantly higher than in the non-transplanted group (94% vs. 15%, p <0.0001). Among patients eligible for LTx, mechanical ventilation during the first 7 days of ICU stay and an increase in the number of organ failures at day 3 were associated with the absence of LTx or death (odds ratio 9.58; 95% CI 3.29-27.89; p <0.0001 for mechanical ventilation and odds ratio 1.87; 95% CI 1.08-3.24; p <0.027 for increasing organ failures). The probability of not being transplanted in patients with ACLF under mechanical ventilation is >85.4% in those experiencing an increase of 2 organ failures since admission or >91% if experiencing an increase >2 organ failures, at which point futility could be considered.

CONCLUSION

This prospective analysis of outcomes of patients with ACLF admitted to the ICU highlights the drastic nature of selection in this setting. Unfavourable addictology criteria, mechanical ventilation and increasing number of organ failures since admission were predictive of absence of LTx, futility and death.

IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS

Liver transplantation (LT) is the best therapeutic option in selected cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU with acute on chronic liver failure. However, the selection criteria are poorly described and based on retrospective studies. This is the first prospective study that aimed to describe the selection process for LT in a transplant center. Patients with ACLF should be admitted to the ICU and evaluated within a short period of time for LT. In the context of organ shortage, eligibility for LT and either absence of LT, futility of care or death are better clarified in our study. These are mainly determined by prolonged respiratory failure and worsening of organ failures since ICU admission. Considering worldwide variations in the etiology and definition of ACLF, transplant availability and a narrow therapeutic window for transplant further prospective studies are awaited.

Epidemiology, characteristics, and outcomes of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure in Australia

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is distinct from acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis in its clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and prognosis. There are limited published Australian ACLF data.

METHODS

We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of all adults with cirrhosis admitted with a decompensating event to a liver transplantation (LT) centre between 2015 and 2020. ACLF was defined using the European Association for the Study of the Liver-Chronic Liver Failure (EASL-CLIF) definition while those who did not meet the definition were classified as AD. The primary outcome of interest was 90-day LT-free survival.

RESULTS

A total of 615 patients had 1039 admissions for a decompensating event. On their index admission, 34% (209/615) of patients were classified as ACLF. Median admission model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and MELD-Na scores were higher in ACLF patients compared with AD (21 vs 17 and 25 vs 20 respectively, both P < 0.001). Both the presence and severity of ACLF (grade ≥ 2) significantly predicted worse LT-free survival compared with patients with AD. The EASL-CLIF ACLF score (CLIF-C ACLF), MELD and MELD-Na scores performed similarly in predicting 90-day mortality. Patients with index ACLF had a higher risk of 28-day mortality (28.1% vs 5.1%, P < 0.001) and shorter times to readmission compared with those with AD.

CONCLUSION

ACLF complicates over a third of hospital admissions for cirrhosis with decompensating events and is associated with a high short-term mortality. The presence and grade of ACLF predicts 90-day mortality and should be identified as those at greatest risk of poor outcome without intervention such as LT.

Trends in aetiology-based hospitalisation for cirrhosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Patients with pre-existing cirrhosis and exposure to coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) may portend a poor prognosis. We evaluated the temporal trends in aetiology-based hospitalisations and potential predictors of in-hospital mortality in hospitalisation with cirrhosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

Based on the US National Inpatient Sample 2019-2020, we determined quarterly trends in aetiology-based hospitalisations with cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis and identified predictors of in-hospital mortality in hospitalisation with cirrhosis.

RESULTS

We analysed 316,418 hospitalisations, representing 1,582,090 hospitalisations with cirrhosis. Hospitalisations for cirrhosis increased at a relatively higher rate during the COVID-19 era. Hospitalisation rates for alcohol-related liver disease (ALD)-related cirrhosis increased significantly (quarterly percentage change [QPC]: 3.6%, 95% CI: 2.2%-5.1%), with a notably higher rate during the COVID-19 era. In contrast, hospitalisation rates for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis decreased steadily with a trend of -1.4% of QPC (95% CI: -2.5% to -0.1%). Quarterly trends in the proportion of ALD- (QPC: 1.7%, 95% CI: 0.9%-2.6%) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-related (QPC: 0.7%, 95% CI: 0.1%-1.2%) hospitalisations with cirrhosis increased significantly but declined steadily for viral hepatitis. The COVID-19 era and COVID-19 infection were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality during hospitalisation with cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis. Compared with HCV-related cirrhosis, ALD-related cirrhosis was associated with a 40% higher risk of in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

In-hospital mortality in cirrhosis was higher in the COVID-19 era than in the pre-COVID-19 era. ALD is the leading aetiology-specific cause of in-hospital mortality in cirrhosis with an independent detrimental impact of the COVID-19 infection.

Critical Care Management of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: Certainties and Unknowns

Intensive care unit (ICU) admission is frequently required in patients with decompensated cirrhosis for organ support. This entity, known as acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), is associated with high short-term mortality. ICU management of ACLF is complex, as these patients are prone to develop new organ failures and infectious or bleeding complications. Poor nutritional status, lack of effective liver support systems, and shortage of liver donors are also factors that contribute to increase their mortality. ICU therapy parallels that applied in the general ICU population in some complications but has differential characteristics in others. This review describes the current knowledge on critical care management of patients with ACLF including organ support, prognostic assessment, early liver transplantation, and futility rules. Certainties and knowledge gaps in this area are also discussed.

Cirrhosis Management in the Intensive Care Unit

Patients with cirrhosis frequently require admission to the intensive care unit as complications arise in the course of their disease. These admissions are associated with high short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. Thus, understanding and characterizing complications and unique needs of patients with cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure helps providers identify appropriate level of care and evidence-based treatments. While there is no widely accepted critical care admission criteria for patients with cirrhosis, the presence of organ failure and primary or nosocomial infections are associated with particularly high in-hospital mortality. Optimal management of patients with cirrhosis in the critical care setting requires a system-based approach that acknowledges deviations from canonical pathophysiology. In this review, we discuss appropriate considerations and evidence-based practices for the general care of patients with cirrhosis and critical illness.

Improved survival of cirrhotic patients with infections in Australian and New Zealand ICUs between 2005 and 2017

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Changes in outcomes of cirrhotic patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) with infections are poorly understood. We aimed to describe changes over time in outcomes for such patients and to compare them to other ICU admissions.

METHODS

Analysis of consecutive admissions to 188 ICUs between 2005 and 2017 as recorded in the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Centre for Outcome and Research Evaluation Adult Patient Database.

RESULTS

Admissions for cirrhotic patients with infections accounted for 4645 (0.6%) of 813 189 non-elective ICU admissions. Hospital mortality rate (35.5%) was significantly higher compared with other cirrhotic patients' admissions (28.5%), and other ICU admissions for infection (17.1%, p < .0001), and increased to 52.2% in the presence of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Hospital mortality in cirrhotic patients' ICU admissions for infection decreased significantly over time (annual decline odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.99, p = .002). There was a comparable reduction in-hospital mortality rates over time in other ICU admissions for infections and other cirrhotic patients' ICU admissions. However, mortality rates did not change over time in the ACLF subgroup. Median hospital and ICU length of stays for cirrhotic patients' ICU admissions for infections were 12.1 and 3.5 days, respectively, and decreased significantly by 1 day every 4 years in-hospital survivors(p < .0001).

CONCLUSION

Hospital mortality in ICU admissions for cirrhotic patients with infection is double that of non-cirrhotic patients with infection but has declined significantly over time. Outcomes in the subgroup with ACLF remained poor without significant improvement over the study period.

Are Cirrhotic Patients Receiving Invasive Mechanical Ventilation at Risk of Abundant Microaspiration

Previous studies have identified cirrhosis as a risk factor for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between cirrhosis and abundant gastric-content microaspiration in intubated critically ill patients. We performed a matched cohort study using data from three randomized controlled trials on abundant microaspiration in patients under mechanical ventilation. Each cirrhotic patient was matched with three to four controls for gender, age ± 5 years and simplified acute physiology score II (SAPS II) ± 5 points. Abundant microaspiration was defined by significant levels of pepsin and alpha-amylase in >30% of tracheal aspirates. All tracheal aspirates were collected for the first 48 h of the study period. The percentage of patients with abundant gastric-content microaspiration was the primary outcome. The abundant microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions, VAP incidence, the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and mortality were the secondary outcomes. A. total of 39 cirrhotic patients were matched to 138 controls. The percentage of patients with abundant gastric-content microaspiration did not differ between the two groups (relative risk: 0.91 (95% CI: 0.75 to 1.10)). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the abundant microaspiration of oropharyngeal secretions, VAP, the duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of ICU stay and mortality. Our results suggest that cirrhosis is not associated with abundant gastric-content microaspiration.

Is intensive care unit mortality a valid survival outcome measure related to critical illness?

RATIONALE

Use of death as an outcome of intensive care unit (ICU) admission may be biased by differential discharge decisions.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the validity of ICU survival status as an outcome measure of all cause case-fatality.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of first admissions among adults to four ICUs in North Brisbane, Australia was assembled. Death in ICU (censored at discharge or 30 days) was compared with 30-day overall case-fatality.

RESULTS

The 30-day overall case-fatality was 8.1% (2436/29,939). One thousand six hundred and thirty-one deaths occurred within the ICU stay and 576 subsequent during hospital post-ICU discharge within 30-days; ICU and hospital case-fatality rates were 5.4% and 7.4%, respectively. An additional 229 patients died after hospital separation within 30 days of ICU admission of which 110 (48.0%) were transferred to another acute care hospital, 80 (34.9%) discharged home, and 39 (17.0%) transferred to an aged care/chronic care/rehabilitation facility. Patients who died after ICU discharge were older, had higher APACHE III scores, were more likely to be elective surgical patients, and were less likely to be out of state residents or managed in a tertiary referral hospital. Limiting determination of case-fatality to ICU information alone would correctly detect 95% (780/821) of all-cause mortality at day 3, 90% (1093/1213) at day 5, 75% (1524/2019) at day 15, 72% (1592/2244) at day 21, and 67% (1631/2436) at day 30 of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Use of ICU case-fatality significantly underestimates the true burden and biases assessment of determinants of critical illness-related mortality in our region.

The prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in critically ill cirrhotic patients

BACKGROUND

Hospital death rates following ICU admission of cirrhotic patients remain high. Identifying patients at high risk of mortality after few days of aggressive management is imperative for providing adequate interventions. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) combined with usual organ failure scores in the outcome prediction of cirrhotic patients hospitalized more than 3 days in ICU.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective bicentric study in two cohorts of cirrhotic patients hospitalized more than 3 days in French university hospital ICUs. At admission and day 3, we calculated several clinico-biological scores grading liver disease and organ failure severity and calculated the NLR. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality.

RESULTS

The test cohort included 116 patients. At day 28, 43 (37.1%) patients had died. Variations of MELD score (ΔMELD), SOFA score (ΔSOFA), CLIF-SOFA score (ΔCLIF-SOFA) and NLR (ΔNRL) between admission and day 3 were significantly associated with 28-day mortality in univariate analysis. When included in bivariate analysis ΔNLR remained a significant predictor of 28-day mortality independently of these severity scores. Kaplan-Meier curves and statistics using reclassification methods showed a better 28-day mortality risk prediction using ΔNRL in association with ΔSOFA in comparison to ΔSOFA alone. These results were confirmed in an external validation cohort, including 101 critically ill cirrhotic patients.

CONCLUSIONS

ΔNLR is an independent predictor of mortality in the critically ill cirrhotic patients' population who requires intensive care supportive treatment and should be used in association with ΔSOFA as a prognostic biomarker.

Management of Decompensated Cirrhosis and Associated Syndromes

Patients with cirrhosis account for 3% of intensive care unit admissions with hospital mortality exceeding 50%; however, improvements in survival among patients with acutely decompensated cirrhosis and organ failure have been described when treated in specialized liver transplant centers. Acute-on-chronic liver failure is a distinct clinical syndrome characterized by decompensated cirrhosis associated with one or more organ failures resulting in a significantly higher short-term mortality. In this review, we will discuss the management of common life-threatening complications in the patient with cirrhosis that require intensive care management including neurologic, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and renal complications.

The global burden of cirrhosis: A review of disability-adjusted life-years lost and unmet needs

Cirrhosis is a burden on the individual and on public health. The World Health Organization's metric of public health burden is the disability-adjusted life-year (DALY), the sum of years of life lost due to premature death and years of life lived with disability. The more DALYs attributable to a disease, the greater its burden on public health. Cirrhosis was responsible for 26.8% fewer DALYs in 2019 than in 1990, which is positive, but the reduction in DALYs across the spectrum of diseases in and outside the liver was 34.4%. Hepatitis C (26% of DALYs), alcohol (24%), and hepatitis B (23%) contribute almost equally to the global burden of cirrhosis. The contribution from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (8%) is small but increasing. There is substantial global variation in the burden and causes of cirrhosis. We find that the poorest countries carry the greatest burden of cirrhosis, and that this burden is primarily caused by cirrhosis from hepatitis B infection. Interventions targeting hepatitis B infection are known, but not fully implemented. In more affluent countries, alcohol and hepatitis C are the dominant causes of cirrhosis, but non-alcoholic fatty liver will likely become a dominant cause of cirrhosis in parallel with the increasing prevalence of obesity. We also argue that the World Health Organization underestimates the public health burden associated with cirrhosis because it assigns zero disability to compensated cirrhosis and considers decompensated cirrhosis as only mildly disabling.

Treatment profile and long-term outcome of intensive care unit-admitted patients with liver cirrhosis or other liver disease in relation to alcohol consumption

OBJECTIVE

To examine the impact of alcohol consumption on the treatment profile, mortality and causes of death in intensive care unit (ICU)-admitted patients with liver cirrhosis and other liver disease.

METHODS

Data on liver disease and ICU treatment of patients with previously diagnosed liver disease between 2015 and 2017 were retrospectively collected from medical records at Oulu University Hospital, Finland. The median follow-up was 367 days. The causes of death were obtained from Statistics Finland.

RESULTS

From 250 patients, high-risk alcohol consumption was present in 74.7% (71 of 95) cirrhotic patients and 43.2% (67 of 155) patients in the other liver disease group. Gastrointestinal causes were the most common admission causes. Despite the higher SOFA scores in the alcoholic liver cirrhosis patients compared with the non-alcoholic cirrhosis, there were no differences in the need for organ support, length of ICU stay or outcome between the groups or the subgroups. There were no differences in 1-year mortality between the cirrhosis groups (alcoholic cirrhosis 43.7% versus non-alcoholic cirrhosis 45.8%, p = 1.0) or between the other liver disease groups (patients with alcohol consumption 37.3% versus patients without alcohol consumption 36.4%, p = 1.0). The patients with high-risk alcohol consumption died more often due to liver disease, whereas the patients without high-risk alcohol consumption died often due to malignancies.

CONCLUSIONS

We report no significant impact of alcohol consumption on the ICU treatment profile or mortality of patients with cirrhosis or other liver disease. The high mortality underlines the importance of preventive measures after ICU admission.

Trends and outcomes of mechanically ventilated cirrhotic patients in the United States from 2005–2014

Purpose

Cirrhotic patients in organ failure are frequently admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) to receive invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). We evaluated the trends of hospitalizations, in-hospital mortality, hospital costs, and hospital length of stay (LOS) of IMV patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

We analyzed the United States National Inpatient Sample from 2005–2014. We selected discharges of IMV adult (≥18 years) patients with cirrhosis using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition , Clinical Modification codes. Trends were assessed using linear regression and joinpoint regression.

Results

Between 2005 and 2014, there were approximately 9,441,605 hospitalizations of IMV adult patients, of which 4.7% had cirrhosis. There was an increasing trend in the total number of IMV cirrhotic patient hospitalizations (annual percent change [APC] 7.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 6.4%; 7.6%, Ptrend < 0.001). The in-hospital case-fatality ratio declined between 2005–2011 (APC –2.9%, 95% CI, –3.4%; –2.4%, Ptrend < 0.001); however, it remained similar between 2011–2014 ( Ptrend = 0.58). The total annual hospital costs of all IMV cirrhotic patients increased from approximately $1.2 billion USD in 2005 to $2.7 billion USD in 2014 ( Ptrend < 0.001). The mean hospital costs per patient and mean LOS declined between 2005 and 2014 ( Ptrend  < 0.001 and Ptrend = 0.01 respectively).

Conclusions

The total number of hospitalizations and total annual costs of IMV patients with cirrhosis have been increasing over time. However, past hesitancy around admitting cirrhotic patients to the ICU may need to be tempered by the improving mortality trends in this patient population.

Declining Mortality of Cirrhotic Variceal Bleeding Requiring Admission to Intensive Care: A Binational Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to describe changes over time in admissions and outcomes, including length of stay, discharge destinations, and mortality of cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU for variceal bleeding, and to compare it to the outcomes of those with other causes of ICU admissions.

DESIGN

Retrospective analysis of data captured prospectively in the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Centre for Outcome and Resource Evaluation Adult Patient Database.

SETTINGS

One hundred eighty-three ICUs in Australia and New Zealand.

PATIENTS

Consecutive admissions to these ICUs for upper gastrointestinal bleeding related to varices in patients with cirrhosis between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2016.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

ICU admissions for variceal bleeding in cirrhotic patients accounted for 4,003 (0.6%) of all 720,425 nonelective ICU admissions. The proportion of ICU admissions for variceal bleeding fell significantly from 0.8% (83/42,567) in 2005 to 0.4% (53/80,388) in 2016 (p < 0.001). Hospital mortality rate was significantly higher within admissions for variceal bleeding compared with nonelective ICU admissions (20.0% vs 15.7%; p < 0.0001), but decreased significantly over time, from 24.6% in 2005 to 15.8% in 2016 (annual decline odds ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.96). There was no difference in the reduction in mortality from variceal bleeding over time between liver transplant and nontransplant centers (p = 0.26).

CONCLUSIONS

Admission rate to ICU and mortality of cirrhotic patients with variceal bleeding has declined significantly over time compared with other causes of ICU admissions with the outcomes comparable between liver transplant and nontransplant centers.

Survival and predictors of outcome among patients with decompensated liver disease in a non-liver transplant intensive care unit. Pessimism is historical and unjustified

BACKGROUND

Recent literature emanating from the United Kingdom and United States has reported decreasing mortality rates in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and organ failures presenting to the intensive care unit (ICU).

AIM

To determine if there were comparable outcomes in a single-centre non-transplant unit in Australia.

METHODS

A retrospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary, non-liver transplant unit in Sydney, Australia. Admission data and mortality outcomes were collected from patients with cirrhosis non-electively admitted to ICU between 2013 and 2017. Liver-specific and general intensive care scoring tools were also assessed for their discriminative ability to predict short-term prognostic outcomes.

RESULTS

Sixty-three patients were admitted with decompensated liver disease who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The overall hospital mortality was 37% (95% CI: 0.26-0.49). There was no difference in survival based on aetiology of liver disease (P = 0.96) but a significant difference was found based on the presenting diagnosis, with greater survival among patients diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy on ICU admission (P = 0.02). There was 4% mortality in patients with no organ failure and 52% mortality in those with ≥3 organs in failure (P < 0.001). The ICU prognostic Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score was the better discriminative tool in predicting short-term outcomes when compared to liver prognostic scores.

CONCLUSION

The outcomes of this single-centre Australian study align with current overseas literature. These results reinforce and expand on limited local evidence, corroborating the former universal prognostic pessimism towards cirrhotic patients with organ failure as unwarranted.

In-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation of patients with cirrhosis: A population-based analysis

Objective

To examine the epidemiology and outcomes of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) among patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

We used the Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File to identify hospitalizations aged ≥ 18 years with and without cirrhosis during 2009–2014 and those in each group who have undergone in-hospital CPR. Short-term survival (defined as absence of hospital mortality or discharge to hospice) following in-hospital CPR was examined. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to assess the prognostic impact of cirrhosis following in-hospital CPR and predictors of short-term survival among cirrhosis hospitalizations.

Results

In-hospital CPR was reported in 2,511 and 51,969 hospitalizations with and without cirrhosis, respectively. The rate of in-hospital CPR (per 1,000 hospitalizations) was 7.6 and 4.0 among hospitalizations with and without cirrhosis, respectively. The corresponding rate of in-hospital CPR among decedents was 10.7% and 13.4%, respectively. Short-term survival following in-hospital CPR among hospitalizations with and without cirrhosis was 14.9% and 27.3%, respectively, and remained unchanged over time on adjusted analyses among the former (p = 0.1753), while increasing among the latter (p = 0.0404). Cirrhosis was associated with lower odds of short-term survival following in-hospital CPR (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.55 [95% CI: 0.49–0.62]). Lack of health insurance (vs. Medicare) (aOR] 0.47 [95% CI: 0.34–0.67]) and sepsis ([aOR] 0.67 [95% CI: 0.53–85]) were associated with lower odds of short-term survival following in-hospital CPR among cirrhosis hospitalizations.

Conclusions

The rate of in-hospital CPR was nearly 2-fold higher among hospitalizations with cirrhosis than among those without it, though it was used more selectively among the former. Short-term survival following in-hospital CPR remained markedly lower among cirrhosis hospitalizations, while progressively improving among those without cirrhosis. Strategies to increase access to health insurance and improve early identification and control of infection should be explored in future preventive and interventional efforts.

Trends in hospitalizations for chronic liver disease-related liver failure in the United States, 2005-2014

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Current estimates of the population-based disease burden of liver failure or end-stage liver disease (ESLD) are lacking. We investigated recent trends in hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality among patients with ESLD in the United States (US).

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed utilizing the National Inpatient Sample from 2005 to 2014. We defined ESLD as either decompensated cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), criteria obtained from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision. Nationwide rates of hospitalization and in-hospital mortality were analysed from 2005 to 2014.

RESULTS

Hospitalization rates for decompensated cirrhosis during this period increased from 105.3/100 000 persons to 159.9/100 000 persons. In terms of HCC, hospitalization rates increased from 13.6/100 000 to 22.1/100 000. In patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related decompensated cirrhosis, the hospitalization rate increased from 13.4/100 000 to 32.1/100 000 with an annual incremental increase of 10.6%, a magnitude twofold higher than other aetiologies. The proportion of NAFLD among hospitalizations with ESLD steadily increased from 12.7% to 20.1% for decompensated cirrhosis while the proportion of chronic hepatitis C (HCV) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD) declined (from 29.3% to 27.6% for HCV; from 39.0% to 37.4% for ALD). Although the overall in-hospital mortality rates for ESLD declined during the study, mortality rates for NAFLD-related decompensated cirrhosis showed no significant change.

CONCLUSIONS

Among aetiologies of chronic liver disease, NAFLD demonstrated the fastest growing rate of hospitalizations in non-HCC patients with ESLD in the US. Our study highlights the need for a focus on NAFLD-related hospitalizations and its impact on resource utilization.

Patterns of palliative care utilization among patients with end stage liver disease during end-of-life hospitalizations: A population-level analysis

PURPOSE

To investigate the patterns and predictors of palliative care (PC) utilization across ICU- and non ICU-managed patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) during end-of-life hospitalization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Texas Inpatient Public Use Data File was used to perform a retrospective, population-based cohort study of patients with ESLD and end-of-life hospitalization during 2005-2014. PC use among ICU- and non ICU-managed patients was examined. Logistic regression modeling was used to identify predictors of PC.

RESULTS

We studied 30,301 patients, of which 5484 (18.1%) had reported PC and 24,174 (79.8%) were admitted to ICU. Between 2005 and 2014 PC use among ICU- and non ICU-managed patients increased from 0.5% to 32.9% and 7.1% to 47.0%, respectively, while ICU admission rate rose from 76.5% to 82.9%. PC use was reduced with rising APR-DRG illness severity (adjusted odds ratio, "extreme" vs. "minor" 0.36 [95% confidence interval, 0.24-0.54]), ICU admission (0.60 [0.55-0.65]), and use of mechanical ventilation (0.75 [0.70-0.81]).

CONCLUSIONS

There was persistent gap in use of PC among ICU-managed patients with ESLD during end-of-life hospitalization. ICU utilization rose, unexpectedly, despite the increasing use of PC in this cohort, and PC utilization was, paradoxically, lower among patients with the highest need.

Management of Coagulopathy during Bleeding and Invasive Procedures in Patients with Liver Failure

Alterations in hemostasis are a characteristic feature of advanced liver disease. Patients with coagulopathy of advanced liver disease are prone to bleedings and also thromboembolic events. Under stable conditions, cirrhosis patients show alterations in both pro- and anticoagulatory pathways, frequently resulting in a rebalanced hemostasis. This review summarizes current recommendations of management during bleeding and prior to invasive procedures in patients with cirrhosis.