Acute-on-chronic liver failure: Definitions, pathophysiology and principles of treatment

Exploring the potential of drug repurposing for liver diseases: A comprehensive study

Drug repurposing involves the investigation of existing drugs for new indications. It offers a great opportunity to quickly identify a new drug candidate at a lower cost than novel discovery and development. Despite the importance and potential role of drug repurposing, there is no specific definition that healthcare providers and the World Health Organization credit. Unfortunately, many similar and interchangeable concepts are being used in the literature, making it difficult to collect and analyze uniform data on repurposed drugs. This research was conducted based on understanding general criteria for drug repurposing, concentrating on liver diseases. Many drugs have been investigated for their effect on liver diseases even though they were originally approved (or on their way to being approved) for other diseases. Some of the hypotheses for drug repurposing were first captured from the literature and then processed further to test the hypothesis. Recently, with the revolution in bioinformatics techniques, scientists have started to use drug libraries and computer systems that can analyze hundreds of drugs to give a short list of candidates to be analyzed pharmacologically. However, this study revealed that drug repurposing is a potential aid that may help deal with liver diseases. It provides available or under-investigated drugs that could help treat hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, Wilson disease, liver cancer, and fatty liver. However, many further studies are needed to ensure the efficacy of these drugs on a large scale.

The intersection of virus infection and liver disease: A comprehensive review of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment

Liver disease represents a significant global burden, placing individuals at a heightened risk of developing cirrhosis and liver cancer. Viral infections act as a primary cause of liver diseases on a worldwide scale. Infections involving hepatitis viruses, notably hepatitis B, C, and E viruses, stand out as the most prevalent contributors to acute and chronic intrahepatic adverse outcome, although the hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be effectively cured with antiviral drugs, but no preventative vaccination developed. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and HCV can lead to both acute and chronic liver diseases, including liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which are principal causes of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Other viruses, such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), are capable of causing liver damage. Therefore, it is essential to recognize that virus infections and liver diseases are intricate and interconnected processes. A profound understanding of the underlying relationship between virus infections and liver diseases proves pivotal in the effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these conditions. In this review, we delve into the mechanisms by which virus infections induce liver diseases, as well as explore the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of liver diseases. This article is categorized under: Infectious Diseases > Biomedical Engineering.

Invigorating human MSCs for transplantation therapy via Nrf2/DKK1 co-stimulation in an acute-on-chronic liver failure mouse model

Background

Since boosting stem cell resilience in stressful environments is critical for the therapeutic efficacy of stem cell-based transplantations in liver disease, this study aimed to establish the efficacy of a transient plasmid-based preconditioning strategy for boosting the capability of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for anti-inflammation/antioxidant defenses and paracrine actions in recipient hepatocytes.

Methods

Human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (hADMSCs) were subjected to transfer, either with or without the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Dickkopf1 (DKK1) genes, followed by exposure to TNF-α/H2O2. Mouse models were subjected to acute chronic liver failure (ACLF) and subsequently injected with either transfected or untransfected MSCs. These hADMSCs and ACLF mouse models were used to investigate the interaction between Nrf2/DKK1 and the hepatocyte receptor cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 (CKAP4).

Results

Activation of Nrf2 and DKK1 enhanced the anti-stress capacity of MSCs in vitro. In a murine model of ACLF, transient co-overexpression of Nrf2 and DKK1 via plasmid transfection improved MSC resilience against inflammatory and oxidative assaults, boosted MSC transplantation efficacy, and promoted recipient liver regeneration due to a shift from the activation of the anti-regenerative IFN-γ/STAT1 pathway to the pro-regenerative IL-6/STAT3 pathway in the liver. Importantly, the therapeutic benefits of MSC transplantation were nullified when the receptor CKAP4, which interacts with DKK1, was specifically removed from recipient hepatocytes. However, the removal of the another receptor low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 6 (LRP6) had no impact on the effectiveness of MSC transplantation. Moreover, in long-term observations, no tumorigenicity was detected in mice following transplantation of transiently preconditioned MSCs.

Conclusions

Co-stimulation with Nrf2/DKK1 safely improved the efficacy of human MSC-based therapies in murine models of ACLF through CKAP4-dependent paracrine mechanisms.

The Immunoregulatory and Regenerative Potential of Activated Human Stem Cell Secretome Mitigates Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in a Rat Model

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome marked by sudden liver function decline and multiorgan failure, predominantly acute kidney injury (AKY), in patients with chronic liver disease. Unregulated inflammation is a hallmark of ACLF; however, the key drivers of ACLF are not fully understood. This study explores the therapeutic properties of human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) secretome, particularly focusing on its enhanced anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative properties after the in vitro preconditioning of the cells. We evaluated the efficacy of the systemic administration of MSC secretome in preventing liver failure and AKI in a rat ACLF model where chronic liver disease was induced using by the administration of porcine serum, followed by D-galN/LPS administration to induce acute failure. After ACLF induction, animals were treated with saline (ACLF group) or MSC-derived secretome (ACLF-secretome group). The study revealed that MSC-secretome administration strongly reduced liver histological damage in the ACLF group, which was correlated with higher hepatocyte proliferation, increased hepatic and systemic anti-inflammatory molecule levels, and reduced neutrophil and macrophage infiltration. Additionally, renal examination revealed that MSC-secretome treatment mitigated tubular injuries, reduced apoptosis, and downregulated injury markers. These improvements were linked to increased survival rates in the ACLF-secretome group, endorsing MSC secretomes as a promising therapy for multiorgan failure in ACLF.

LONP1 ameliorates liver injury and improves gluconeogenesis dysfunction in acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a severe liver disease with complex pathogenesis. Clinical hypoglycemia is common in patients with ACLF and often predicts a worse prognosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that glucose metabolic disturbance, especially gluconeogenesis dysfunction, plays a critical role in the disease progression of ACLF. Lon protease-1 (LONP1) is a novel mediator of energy and glucose metabolism. However, whether gluconeogenesis is a potential mechanism through which LONP1 modulates ACLF remains unknown.

METHODS

In this study, we collected liver tissues from ACLF patients, established an ACLF mouse model with carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and D-galactose (D-gal), and constructed an in vitro hypoxia and hyperammonemia-triggered hepatocyte injury model. LONP1 overexpression and knockdown adenovirus were used to assess the protective effect of LONP1 on liver injury and gluconeogenesis regulation. Liver histopathology, biochemical index, mitochondrial morphology, cell viability and apoptosis, and the expression and activity of key gluconeogenic enzymes were detected to explore the underlying protective mechanisms of LONP1 in ACLF.

RESULTS

We found that LONP1 and the expressions of gluconeogenic enzymes were downregulated in clinical ACLF liver tissues. Furthermore, LONP1 overexpression remarkably attenuated liver injury, which was characterized by improved liver histopathological lesions and decreased serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in ACLF mice. Moreover, mitochondrial morphology was improved upon overexpression of LONP1. Meanwhile, the expression and activity of the key gluconeogenic enzymes were restored by LONP1 overexpression. Similarly, the hepatoprotective effect was also observed in the hepatocyte injury model, as evidenced by improved cell viability, reduced cell apoptosis, and improved gluconeogenesis level and activity, while LONP1 knockdown worsened liver injury and gluconeogenesis disorders.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that gluconeogenesis dysfunction exists in ACLF, and LONP1 could ameliorate liver injury and improve gluconeogenic dysfunction, which would provide a promising therapeutic target for patients with ACLF.

Navigating the Labyrinth: Intensive Care Challenges for Patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) refers to the deterioration of liver function in individuals who already have chronic liver disease. In the setting of ACLF, liver damage leads to the failure of other organs and is associated with increased short-term mortality. Optimal medical management of patients with ACLF requires implementing complex treatment strategies, often in an intensive care unit (ICU). Failure of organs other than the liver distinguishes ACLF from other critical illnesses. Although there is growing evidence supporting the current approach to ACLF management, the mortality associated with this condition remains unacceptably high. In this review, we discuss considerations for ICU care of patients with ACLF and highlight areas for further research.

PANoptosis-like death in acute-on-chronic liver failure injury

The pathogenesis of Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) involves several forms of cell death, such as pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis, which consist of PANoptosis. To explore PANoptosis as a regulated cell death pathway in ACLF. Firstly, a bioinformatic strategy was used to observe the role of the PANoptosis pathway in ACLF and identify differentially expressed genes related to PANoptosis. Enrichment analysis showed that PANoptosis-related pathways were up-regulated in ACLF. We screened out BAX from the intersection of pyroptosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, and DEGs. Secondly, we screened articles from literature databases related to PANoptosis and liver failure, and specific forms of PANoptosis were reported in different experimental models in vitro and in vivo. Secondly, we established a model of ACLF using carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis, followed by D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide joint acute attacks. A substantial release of inflammatory factors(IL-6, IL-18, TNFα, and IFNγ) and the key proteins of PANoptosis (NLRP3, CASP1, GSDMD, BAX, CASP8, CASP3, CASP7, and MLKL) were detected independently in the ACLF rats. Finally, we found that combining TNF-α/INF-γ inflammatory cytokines could induce L02 cells PANoptosis. Our study highlighted the potential role of ACLF and helps drug discovery targeting PANoptosis in the future.

A deep learning approach for acute liver failure prediction with combined fully connected and convolutional neural networks

BACKGROUND

Acute Liver Failure (ALF) is a critical medical condition with rapid development, often caused by viral infections, hepatotoxic drug abuse, or other severe liver diseases. Timely and accurate prediction of ALF occurrence is clinically crucial. However, predicting ALF poses challenges due to the diverse physiological differences among patients and the dynamic nature of the disease.

OBJECTIVE

This study introduces a deep learning approach that combines fully connected and convolutional neural networks for effective ALF prediction. The goal is to overcome limitations of traditional machine learning methods and enhance predictive model performance and generalization.

METHODS

The proposed model integrates a fully connected neural network for handling basic patient features and a convolutional neural network dedicated to capturing temporal patterns in patient data. The combination allows automatic learning of complex patterns and abstract features present in highly dynamic medical data associated with ALF.

RESULTS

The model's effectiveness is demonstrated through comprehensive experiments and performance evaluations. It outperforms traditional machine learning methods, achieving 94.8% accuracy and superior generalization capabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the potential of deep learning in ALF prediction, emphasizing the importance of considering individualized medical factors. Future research should focus on improving model robustness, addressing imbalanced data, and further exploring personalized features for enhanced predictive accuracy in real-world clinical scenarios.

PROGNOSTIC FACTORS OF LIVER TRANSPLANTATION FOR ACUTE-ON-CHRONIC LIVER FAILURE

BACKGROUND

Liver transplantation (LT) is the only treatment that can provide long-term survival for patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Although several studies identify prognostic factors for patients in ACLF who do not undergo LT, there is scarce literature about prognostic factors after LT in this population.

AIM

Evaluate outcomes of ACLF patients undergoing LT, studying prognostic factors related to 1-year and 90 days post-LT.

METHODS

Patients with ACLF undergoing LT between January 2005 and April 2021 were included. Variables such as chronic liver failure consortium (CLIF-C) ACLF values and ACLF grades were compared with the outcomes.

RESULTS

The ACLF survival of patients (n=25) post-LT at 90 days, 1, 3, 5 and 7 years, was 80, 76, 59.5, 54.1 and 54.1% versus 86.3, 79.4, 72.6, 66.5 and 61.2% for patients undergoing LT for other indications (n=344), (p=0.525). There was no statistical difference for mortality at 01 year and 90 days among patients with the three ACLF grades (ACLF-1 vs. ACLF-2 vs. ACLF-3) undergoing LT, as well as when compared to non-ACLF patients. CLIF-C ACLF score was not related to death outcomes. None of the other studied variables proved to be independent predictors of mortality at 90 days, 1 year, or overall.

CONCLUSIONS

LT conferred long-term survival to most transplant patients. None of the studied variables proved to be a prognostic factor associated with post-LT survival outcomes for patients with ACLF. Additional studies are recommended to clarify the prognostic factors of post-LT survival in patients with ACLF.

Resolvin D1 promotes the resolution of inflammation in the ACLF rat model by increasing the proportion of Treg cells

OBJECTIVE

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) causes organ system failures in patients and increases the risk of mortality. One of the main predictors of ACLF development in patients is the severity of systemic inflammation. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of resolvin D1 (RvD1) on the rat model of ACLF.

METHODS

The ACLF rats were induced by first intraperitoneally (ip) injecting CCl4 and porcine serum for 6 weeks to establish the chronic liver injury, followed by once administration (ip) of lipopolysaccharide and d-galactose d-GalN to cause acute liver injury (ALI). An hour before the ALI-induced treatment, rats were administrated (ip) with 0.9% saline or different doses of RvD1 (0.3 or 1 µg/kg). Afterward, the control and treated rats were killed and samples were collected. Biochemical analysis, hematoxylin-eosin and Sirius red staining, flow cytometry assay, and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to assess the rat liver histopathological injury, the percentage of Treg cells in the spleen, and the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of transcription factors and immunologic cytokines in liver.

RESULTS

The necroinflammatory scores and the serum levels of transaminase significantly increased in ACLF rats compared with those in control rats. These impaired changes observed in ACLF rats could be attenuated by the administration of a low dose of RvD1 before the induction of ALI, which was associated with the increased proportion of regulatory T cells (Treg) in the spleen together with the increased gene expression ratio of Foxp3/RORγt and decreased mRNA level of Il-17a and Il-6 in the liver.

CONCLUSION

A low dose of RvD1 can promote the resolution of inflammation in ACLF rats by increasing the proportion of Treg cells. RvD1, therefore, may be used as a potential drug for the treatment of patients with ACLF.

Basic concepts of mixture toxicity and relevance for risk evaluation and regulation

Exposure to multiple substances is a challenge for risk evaluation. Currently, there is an ongoing debate if generic "mixture assessment/allocation factors" (MAF) should be introduced to increase public health protection. Here, we explore concepts of mixture toxicity and the potential influence of mixture regulation concepts for human health protection. Based on this analysis, we provide recommendations for research and risk assessment. One of the concepts of mixture toxicity is additivity. Substances may act additively by affecting the same molecular mechanism within a common target cell, for example, dioxin-like substances. In a second concept, an "enhancer substance" may act by increasing the target site concentration and aggravating the adverse effect of a "driver substance". For both concepts, adequate risk management of individual substances can reliably prevent adverse effects to humans. Furthermore, we discuss the hypothesis that the large number of substances to which humans are exposed at very low and individually safe doses may interact to cause adverse effects. This commentary identifies knowledge gaps, such as the lack of a comprehensive overview of substances regulated under different silos, including food, environmentally and occupationally relevant substances, the absence of reliable human exposure data and the missing accessibility of ratios of current human exposure to threshold values, which are considered safe for individual substances. Moreover, a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms and most susceptible target cells is required. We conclude that, currently, there is no scientific evidence supporting the need for a generic MAF. Rather, we recommend taking more specific measures, which focus on compounds with relatively small ratios between human exposure and doses, at which adverse effects can be expected.

Acute on chronic liver failure: A South Australian experience

Background and Aim

Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome described in patients with acute decompensation (AD) of cirrhosis, characterized by organ failures and high mortality. Intensive management, including liver transplantation (LT), has been shown to improve survival. To address the limited Australian data on ACLF, we describe the prevalence, clinical profile, and outcome of ACLF in an Australian cohort of hospitalized patients.

Methods

A retrospective review of hepatology admissions in a tertiary hospital from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2019 identified AD and ACLF cohorts, as defined by the European Association for Study of the Liver definition. Patient characteristics, clinical course, survival at 28- and 90-day survival, and feasibility of LT were analyzed.

Results

Among the 192 admissions with AD, 74 admissions (39%) met ACLF criteria. A prior diagnosis of alcohol-related cirrhosis was highly prevalent in both cohorts. Grade-1 ACLF was the most frequent (60%), with renal failure being the commonest organ failure; 28-day (23% vs 2%, P = <0.001) and 90-day mortality (36% vs 16%, P = 0.002) were higher in ACLF than AD. Due to ongoing alcohol use disorder (AUD), only six patients underwent LT assessment during ACLF admission.

Conclusion

ACLF was common in our cohort of cirrhosis with AD and was associated with high mortality. AUD despite prior cirrhosis diagnosis was a barrier to LT. Prioritization of ACLF patients for LT after addressing AUD and relaxation of the 6-month abstinence rule may improve ACLF survival and should be addressed in prospective studies.

Mechanisms and treatment approaches for ACLF

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a life-threatening syndrome characterized by decompensation of cirrhosis, severe systemic inflammation and organ failures. ACLF is frequently triggered by intra- and/or extrahepatic insults, such as bacterial infections, alcohol-related hepatitis or flares of hepatic viruses. The imbalance between systemic inflammation and immune tolerance causes organ failures through the following mechanisms: (i) direct damage of immune cells/mediators; (ii) worsening of circulatory dysfunction resulting in organ hypoperfusion and (iii) metabolic alterations with prioritization of energetic substrates for inflammation and peripheral organ 'energetic crisis'. Currently, the management of ACLF includes the support of organ failures, the identification and treatment of precipitating factors and expedited assessment for liver transplantation (LT). Early LT should be considered in patients with ACLF grade 3, who are unlikely to recover with the available treatments and have a mortality rate > 70% at 28 days. However, the selection of transplant candidates and their prioritization on the LT waiting list need standardization. Future challenges in the ACLF field include a better understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms leading to inflammation and organ failures, the development of specific treatments for the disease and personalized treatment approaches. Herein, we reviewed the current knowledge and future perspectives on mechanisms and treatment of ACLF.

Prognostic assessment of liver cirrhosis and its complications: current concepts and future perspectives

Liver cirrhosis is an irreversible stage of chronic liver disease with varying clinical course. Acute decompensation of liver cirrhosis represents a watershed in prognosis and is characterized by the occurrence of clinical complications such as ascites, jaundice, hepatic encephalopathy, infections, or portal-hypertensive hemorrhages. Emergent data indicate that an acute decompensation can be subdivided into stable decompensated cirrhosis (SDC), unstable decompensated cirrhosis (UDC), pre-acute-on chronic liver failure (pre-ACLF) and acute-on chronic liver failure (ACLF), while the mortality risk varies greatly between the respective subgroups. ACLF is the most severe form of acutely decompensated cirrhosis and characterized by the development of organ failure(s) and a high short-term mortality. Due to the dynamic disease course of acute decompensation, it is paramount to detect patients at particular risk for severe complications those at high risk for developing ACLF as early as possible in order to initiate optimal management. This review describes new concepts and perspectives in the definition and classification of decompensated cirrhosis and provides on overview on emerging predictive scoring systems, non-invasive measurement methods and new biomarkers, which allow an early identification of patients with acute decompensation at risk.

Sterile inflammation in liver transplantation

Sterile inflammation is the immune response to damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) released during cell death in the absence of foreign pathogens. In the setting of solid organ transplantation, ischemia-reperfusion injury results in mitochondria-mediated production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species that are a major cause of uncontrolled cell death and release of various DAMPs from the graft tissue. When properly regulated, the immune response initiated by DAMP-sensing serves as means of damage control and is necessary for initiation of recovery pathways and re-establishment of homeostasis. In contrast, a dysregulated or overt sterile inflammatory response can inadvertently lead to further injury through recruitment of immune cells, innate immune cell activation, and sensitization of the adaptive immune system. In liver transplantation, sterile inflammation may manifest as early graft dysfunction, acute graft failure, or increased risk of immunosuppression-resistant rejection. Understanding the mechanisms of the development of sterile inflammation in the setting of liver transplantation is crucial for finding reliable biomarkers that predict graft function, and for development of therapeutic approaches to improve long-term transplant outcomes. Here, we discuss the recent advances that have been made to elucidate the early signs of sterile inflammation and extent of damage from it. We also discuss new therapeutics that may be effective in quelling the detrimental effects of sterile inflammation.

Intensive care management of acute-on-chronic liver failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome defined by an acute deterioration of the liver function associated with extrahepatic organ failures requiring intensive care support and associated with a high short-term mortality. ACLF has emerged as a major cause of mortality in patients with cirrhosis and chronic liver disease. ACLF has a unique pathophysiology in which systemic inflammation plays a key role; this provides the basis of novel therapies, several of which are now in clinical trials. Intensive care unit (ICU) therapy parallels that applied in the general ICU population in some organ failures but has peculiar differential characteristics in others. Critical care management strategies and the option of liver transplantation (LT) should be balanced with futility considerations in those with a poor prognosis. Nowadays, LT is the only life-saving treatment that can radically improve the long-term prognosis of patients with ACLF. This narrative review will provide insights on the current understanding of ACLF with emphasis on intensive care management.

Downregulated VISTA enhances Th17 differentiation and aggravates inflammation in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Persistent inflammatory response and immune activation are the core mechanisms underlying acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Previous studies have shown that deficiency of V-type immunoglobulin domain-containing suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) exacerbates the progression of inflammatory diseases. We aimed to clarify the role of VISTA in the pathogenesis of ACLF.

METHODS

Blood and liver samples were collected from healthy subjects, stable cirrhosis, and ACLF patients to characterize VISTA expression and function. An ACLF mouse model was used to ascertain potential benefits of anti-VISTA monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatment.

RESULTS

VISTA expression was significantly reduced in the naïve and central memory CD4+ T cells from patients with ACLF. The expression of VISTA on CD4+ T cells was associated with disease severity and prognosis. VISTA downregulation contributed to the activation and proliferation of CD4+ T cells and enhanced the differentiation of T helper 17 cells (Th17) and secretion of inflammatory cytokines through the activated Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (JAK/STAT3) signaling pathway. Moreover, agonistic anti-VISTA mAb treatment inhibited the activation and cytokine production of CD4+ T cells and reduced mortality and liver inflammation of the ACLF mice.

CONCLUSIONS

The decreased expression of VISTA may facilitate development of Th17 cells and promote the progression of inflammation in ACLF patients. These findings are helpful for elucidating the pathogenesis of ACLF and for the identification of new drug targets.

Classification and Epidemiologic Aspects of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

The three most common definitions of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) are derived from data from North America, Europe, and the Asian-Pacific Region. All three definitions identify patients with underlying liver disease who are at increased risk for mortality who develop a syndrome often characterized by associated organ failures. The epidemiology of ACLF differs throughout various regions globally and is driven by the cause of the underlying chronic liver disease and the triggers of ACLF.

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.

High Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index, Predicting Early Allograft Dysfunction, Indicates High 90-Day Mortality for Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure after Liver Transplantation

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and early allograft dysfunction (EAD) and 90-day mortality after liver transplantation (LT) in acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

METHODS

Retrospective record analysis was done on 114 patients who had LT for ACLF. To identify the ideal SII, the receiver operating characteristic curve was used. The incidence of EAD and 90-day mortality following LT were calculated. The prognostic value of SII was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier technique and the Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

The cut-off for SII was 201.5 (AUC = 0.728, p < 0.001). EAD occurred in 40 (35.1%) patients of the high SII group and 5 (4.4%) patients of the normal SII group, p < 0.001. 18 (15.8%) deaths occurred in the high SII group and 2 (1.8%) deaths occurred in the normal SII group, p = 0.008. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that SII ≥201.5, MELD ≥27 were independent prognostic factors for 90-day mortality after LT.

CONCLUSION

SII predicts the occurrence of EAD and is an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality after LT.

Plasma S100A8 and S100A9 Are Strong Prognostic Factors for Hepatitis B Virus-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Objectives

The rapidly evolving organ failure and high short-run mortality of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) are inseparable from the role of systemic inflammatory response. S100A8 and S100A9 are associated with the excessive cytokine storm and play a decisive part within the process of inflammation. We aimed to clarify the role of them in predicting prognosis of hepatitis B virus-related ACLF (HBV-ACLF).

Methods

S100A8 and S100A9 levels were analyzed in plasma of 187 transplant-free HBV-ACLF patients, 28 healthy controls and 40 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. S100A8 and S100A9 mRNAs were checked in liver samples from 32 HBV-ACLF patients with liver transplantation, 19 patients undergoing surgery for hepatic hemangioma and 10 CHB patients with needle biopsy.

Results

The plasma levels of the S100A8 and S100A9 were higher in HBV-ACLF patients than in CHB patients (S100A8 : P < 0.001 and S100A9 : P < 0.001) and healthy controls (S100A8 : P < 0.001 and S100A9 : P < 0.001), and similar results were obtained for mRNA expression. Moreover, both proteins were related to ACLF grade, different types of organ failure, and infection, and they correlated with other prognostic scoring systems. S100A8 and S100A9 can dependently predict 28/90-day mortality (28-day: S100A8: hazard ratio (HR): 1.027; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.007-1.048; P=0.026, S100A9 : HR: 1.009; 95% CI: 1.001-1.017; P=0.007, 90-day: S100A8 : HR: 1.023; 95% CI: 1.011-1.035; P=0.004, S100A9 : HR: 1.008; 95% CI: 1.004-1.012; and P < 0.001). Among all of the scoring systems, the combined scoring model (S100A8 and S100A9 jointly with the Chronic Liver Failure-Consortium Organ Failure score (CLIF-C OFs)) displayed the highest area under the receiver operating curve (0.923 (95% CI, 0.887-0.961)) in the prediction of 90-day mortality.

Conclusions

S100A8 and S100A9 are promising biomarkers for the analysis of risk stratification and prognosis in ACLF patients. In addition, combining them with the CLIF-C OFs may better predict the prognosis of ACLF.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure: far to go-a review

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) has been recognized as a severe clinical syndrome based on the acute deterioration of chronic liver disease and is characterized by organ failure and high short-term mortality. Heterogeneous definitions and diagnostic criteria for the clinical condition have been proposed in different geographic regions due to the differences in aetiologies and precipitating events. Several predictive and prognostic scores have been developed and validated to guide clinical management. The specific pathophysiology of ACLF remains uncertain and is mainly associated with an intense systemic inflammatory response and immune-metabolism disorder based on current evidence. For ACLF patients, standardization of the treatment paradigm is required for different disease stages that may provide targeted treatment strategies for individual needs.

Quantification of Torque Teno Virus (TTV) in plasma and saliva of individuals with liver cirrhosis: a cross sectional study

Introduction

Torque teno virus (TTV) has been pointed as an endogenous marker of immune function, the objective of this study was to investigate the TTV viral load in plasma and saliva of cirrhotic individuals and correlate it with clinical characteristics.

Methods

Blood, saliva, clinical data from records and laboratory tests were collected from 72 cirrhotic patients. Plasma and saliva were submitted to real-time polymerase chain reaction for quantification of TTV viral load.

Results

The majority of the patients presented decompensated cirrhosis (59.7%) and 47.2% had alterations in the white blood series. TTV was identified in 28 specimens of plasma (38.8%) and in 67 specimens of saliva (93.0%), with median values of TTV copies/mL of 90.6 in plasma and 245.14 in saliva. All the patients who were positive for TTV in plasma were also positive in saliva, with both fluids having a moderately positive correlation for the presence of TTV. There was no correlation between TTV viral load, either in plasma or in saliva, and any of the variables studied.

Conclusion

TTV is more frequently found and in greater amount in the saliva than in the plasma of cirrhotic patients. There was no correlation between TTV viral load and clinical parameters.

Lymphocyte-to-white blood cell ratio is associated with outcome in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

The lymphocyte-to-white blood cell ratio (LWR) is a blood marker of the systemic inflammatory response. The prognostic value of LWR in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) remains unclear.

AIM

To explore whether LWR could stratify the risk of poor outcomes in HBV-ACLF patients.

METHODS

This study was conducted by recruiting 330 patients with HBV-ACLF at the Department of Gastroenterology in a large tertiary hospital. Patients were divided into survivor and non-survivor groups according to their 28-d prognosis. The independent risk factors for 28-d mortality were calculated by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Patients were divided into low- and high-LWR groups according to the cutoff values. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed according to the level of LWR.

RESULTS

During the 28-d follow-up time, 135 patients died, and the mortality rate was 40.90%. The LWR level in non-surviving patients was significantly decreased compared to that in surviving patients. A lower LWR level was an independent risk factor for poor 28-d outcomes (hazard ratio = 0.052, 95% confidence interval: 0.005-0.535). The LWR level was significantly negatively correlated with the Child-Turcotte-Pugh, model for end-stage liver disease, and Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B-ACLF II scores. In addition, the 28-d mortality was higher for patients with LWR < 0.11 than for those with LWR ≥ 0.11.

CONCLUSION

LWR may serve as a simple and useful tool for stratifying the risk of poor 28-d outcomes in HBV-ACLF patients.

Risk stratification based on acute-on-chronic liver failure in cirrhotic patients hospitalized for acute variceal bleeding

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Acute variceal bleeding (AVB) is a life-threatening complication of cirrhosis. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome characterized by acute decompensation of cirrhosis, multiple organ failures and high short-term mortality. This study aimed to evaluate the role of ACLF in the risk stratification of cirrhotic patients with AVB.

METHODS

Prospective data of 335 cirrhotic patients hospitalized for AVB were retrospectively extracted from Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database. ACLF was defined by European Association for the Study of Liver-Chronic Liver Failure Consortium and diagnosed/graded with chronic liver failure-organ failure (CLIF-OF) score. Cox-proportional hazards regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors for 6-week morality in AVB patients. Discrimination and calibration of prognostic scores were evaluated by plotting the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve and calibration curve, respectively. Overall performance was assessed by calculating the Brier score and R² value.

RESULTS

A total of 181 (54.0%) patients were diagnosed with ACLF (grade 1: 18.2%, grade 2: 33.7%, grade 3: 48.1%) at admission. The 6-week mortality in patients with ACLF was significantly higher than that in patients without ACLF (43.6% vs. 8.4%, P < 0.001) and increased in line with the severity of ACLF (22.5%, 34.2% and 63.8% for ACLF grade 1, 2 and 3, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, presence of ACLF remained as an independent risk factor for 6-week mortality after adjusting for confounding factors (HR = 2.12, P = 0.03). The discrimination, calibration and overall performance of CLIF-C ACLF and CLIF-C AD were superior to the traditional prognostic scores (CTP, MELD and MELD-Na) in the prediction of 6-week mortality of patients with and without ACLF, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The prognosis of cirrhotic patients with AVB is poor when accompanied by ACLF. ACLF at admission is an independent predictor for the 6-week mortality in cirrhotic patients with AVB. CLIF-C ACLF and CLIF-C AD are the best prognostic scores in AVB patients with and without ACLF, respectively, and can be used for the risk stratification of these two distinct entities.

Acute kidney injury in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure: clinical significance and management

Acute-on-chronic-liver failure (ACLF) refers to a phenomenon in which patients with chronic liver disease develop multiple organ failure due to acute exacerbation of underlying liver disease. More than 10 definitions of ACLF are extant around the world, and there is lack of consensus on whether extrahepatic organ failure is a main component or a consequence of ACLF. Asian and European consortiums have their own definitions of ACLF. The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver ACLF Research Consortium does not consider kidney failure as a diagnostic criterion for ACLF. Meanwhile, the European Association for the Study of the Liver Chronic Liver Failure and the North American Consortium for the Study of End-stage Liver Disease do consider kidney failure as an important factor in diagnosing and assessing the severity of ACLF. When kidney failure occurs in ACLF patients, treatment varies depending on the presence and stage of acute kidney injury (AKI). In general, the diagnosis of AKI in cirrhotic patients is based on the International Club of Ascites criteria: an increase of 0.3 mg/dL or more within 48 hours or a serum creatinine increase of 50% or more within one week. This study underscores the importance of kidney failure or AKI in patients with ACLF by reviewing its pathophysiology, prevention methods, and treatment approaches.

Association between serum HMGB1 elevation and early pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: a retrospective study of pediatric living donor liver transplant recipients with biliary atresia in China

BACKGROUND

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein is one of the main risk factors for pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). However, studies of the relationship between HMGB1 and PARDS are lacking. We evaluated the link between anomalies of intraoperative serum HMGB1 and PARDS in pediatric LDLT recipients with biliary atresia during the first week after transplant.

METHODS

Data for 210 pediatric patients with biliary atresia who underwent LDLT between January 2018 and December 2021 were reviewed retrospectively. The main measure was serum HMGB1 levels 30 min after reperfusion, while the outcome was early PARDS after LDLT. Data including pretransplant conditions, laboratory indexes, variables of intraoperation, clinical complications, and outcomes after LDLT were analyzed for each patient. Univariate analysis of PARDS and multivariate logistic regression analyses of serum HMGB1 levels at 30 min in the neohepatic phase in the presence of PARDS were conducted to examine the potential associations. Subgroup interaction analyses and linear relationships between intraoperative serum HMGB1 levels and PARDS were also performed.

RESULTS

Among the participants, 55 had PARDS during 7 days after LDLT, including four in the first HMGB1 tertile (4.3-8.1 pg/mL), 18 in the second tertile (8.2-10.6 pg/mL), and 33 in the third tertile (10.6-18.8 pg/mL). The nonadjusted association between intraoperative HMGB1 levels and PARDS was positive (odds ratio 1.41, 95% confidence intervals 1.24-1.61, P < 0.0001). The association remained unchanged after adjustment for age, weight, pretransplant total bilirubin, albumin, graft cold ischemia time, and intraoperative blood loss volume (odds ratio 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.49, P = 0.0017). After controlling for potential confounders, the association between intraoperative HMGB1 levels and PARDS remained positive, as well as in the subgroup analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum HMGB1 levels at 30 min after reperfusion were positively associated with early PARDS among pediatric patients with biliary atresia who had undergone LDLT. Identifying such patients early may increase the efficacy of perioperative respiratory management.

Complement C3 Facilitates Stratification of Stages of Chronic Hepatitis B and Signifies Development of Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure in Acute Decompensated Cirrhosis

INTRODUCTION

Patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) have a dynamic disease process and risk of end-stage liver disease. It is critical to unambiguously differentiate the stages of the disease and focus on therapy prior to onset of an irreversible clinical endpoint.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed a wide range of CHB patients at different stages. The predictive power of serum complement component 3 (C3) levels for the development of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in patients with decompensated cirrhosis was established and validated.

RESULTS

The decrease in serum C3 levels paralleled the severity of diseases related to hepatitis B virus. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis who developed ACLF had significantly lower serum C3 levels than others on admission (0.50 vs. 0.80 g/L, P < 0.001). Data analysis also revealed that low serum C3 was a significant risk factor for developing ACLF (hazard ratio = 0.32, P < 0.01). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (auROC) for serum C3 levels that predicted the development of ACLF in patients with decompensated cirrhosis was 0.90, which had sensitivity and specificity of 88.2% and 88.7%, respectively. A similar result was observed in the validation set (auROC = 0.86 for predicting development of ACLF in patients with decompensated cirrhosis).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum C3 levels are valuable in assessing the severity of CHB-related stages. Low C3 levels signifies the development of ACLF in patients with decompensated cirrhosis.

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.

Acute-on-chronic liver failure in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a significant impact on the lives of millions of people, especially those with other concomitant diseases, such as chronic liver diseases. To date, seven coronaviruses have been identified to infect humans. The main site of pathological action of these viruses is lung tissue. However, a substantial number of studies have proven that SARS-CoV-2 shows affinity towards several organs, including the gastrointestinal tract and the liver. The current state of evidence points to several proposed mechanisms of liver injury in patients with COVID-19 and their combination. Liver impairment is considered to be the result of the direct effect of the virus on the hepatic tissue cells, a systemic reaction consisting of inflammation, hypoxia and cytokine storm, drug-induced liver injury, with the possible contribution of a perturbed gut-liver axis. Reactivation of chronic hepatic disease could be another factor for liver impairment in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a relatively new syndrome that occurs in 10%–30% of all hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease. It is crucial to recognize high-risk patients due to the increased morbidity and mortality in these cases. Several published studies have reported virus infection as a trigger factor for ACLF. However, to date, there are few relevant studies describing the presence of ACLF in patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this minireview we summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the relation between ACLF and acute SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Determination of HMGB1 in hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure patients with acute kidney injury: Early prediction and prognostic implications

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) and is associated with high rates of mortality. We aimed to estimate serum high mobility group protein 1 (HMGB1) levels in hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure patients and analyze their clinical value in the development and outcomes of Acute kidney injury. Methods: A total of 251 consecutive patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure were enrolled in this retrospective study. Using the International Club of Ascites staging criteria of Acute kidney injury, 153 patients developed Acute kidney injury. The clinical data of patients were collected and serum levels of high mobility group protein 1 were measured by ELISA. All patients were followed up until death or for a minimum of 3 months. Early prediction and prognostic implications of high mobility group protein 1 in Hepatitis B Virus-Related Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Patients with Acute Kidney Injury were investigated in different cohorts, including a propensity score-matched ACLF cohort. Results: Among all individuals with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure, the incidence of Acute kidney injury was 61.0% (153/251). The patients who developed stage 2/3 Acute kidney injury showed the highest high mobility group protein 1 levels, followed by those who developed stage 1 Acute kidney injury, and those without Acute kidney injury showed the lowest high mobility group protein 1 levels. Moreover, high mobility group protein 1 levels were significantly higher in non-survivors than in survivors among hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure patients with Acute kidney injury. Furthermore, analysis of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) indicated that serum high mobility group protein 1 levels (pre-matching: AUC = 0.740; post-matching: AUC = 0.661) may be a potential predictive factor for Acute kidney injury development and that high mobility group protein 1 (AUC = 0.727) might be a reliable biomarker for prognosis in patients with Acute kidney injury. Conclusion: In patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure, Acute kidney injury is universal. Acute kidney injury and its stages negatively influence the 90-day transplant-free mortality rate. Serum high mobility group protein 1 levels can serve as a positive predictor of Acute kidney injury development, and high mobility group protein 1 might also be a prognostic biomarker for Acute kidney injury among hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure patients.

A multi-subgroup predictive model based on clinical parameters and laboratory biomarkers to predict in-hospital outcomes of plasma exchange-centered artificial liver treatment in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

Background

Postoperative risk stratification is challenging in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) who undergo artificial liver treatment. This study characterizes patients' clinical parameters and laboratory biomarkers with different in-hospital outcomes. The purpose was to establish a multi-subgroup combined predictive model and analyze its predictive capability.

Methods

We enrolled HBV-ACLF patients who received plasma exchange (PE)-centered artificial liver support system (ALSS) therapy from May 6, 2017, to April 6, 2022. There were 110 patients who died (the death group) and 110 propensity score-matched patients who achieved satisfactory outcomes (the survivor group). We compared baseline, before ALSS, after ALSS, and change ratios of laboratory biomarkers. Outcome prediction models were established by generalized estimating equations (GEE). The discrimination was assessed using receiver operating characteristic analyses. Calibration plots compared the mean predicted probability and the mean observed outcome.

Results

We built a multi-subgroup predictive model (at admission; before ALSS; after ALSS; change ratio) to predict in-hospital outcomes of HBV-ACLF patients who received PE-centered ALSS. There were 110 patients with 363 ALSS sessions who survived and 110 who did not, and 363 ALSS sessions were analyzed. The univariate GEE models revealed that several parameters were independent risk factors. Clinical parameters and laboratory biomarkers were entered into the multivariate GEE model. The discriminative power of the multivariate GEE models was excellent, and calibration showed better agreement between the predicted and observed probabilities than the univariate models.

Conclusions

The multi-subgroup combined predictive model generated accurate prognostic information for patients undergoing HBV-ACLF patients who received PE-centered ALSS.

Analysis of Risk Factors and Protective Strategies for Tube Blockage in Patients with Drug-Induced Liver Failure Based on Artificial Liver Therapy

Objective

To analyse the influencing factors of tube blockage during the treatment of artificial liver in patients with drug-induced liver failure and explore effective patient protection strategies.

Methods

In this study, 49 patients with pharmacological (antituberculosis drugs, antibiotics, proprietary Chinese medicine, gastric drugs, and antihyperthyroid drugs) liver failure admitted to our hospital from June 2015 to December 2021 were selected for prospective analysis. Clinical indicators and general data of all patients were collected and collated, risk factors leading to the obstruction of artificial liver treatment were analysed, and corresponding protective measures were proposed.

Results

The incidence of tube blockage was 5.32% (10 times) in 49 patients with pharmacological liver failure treated 188 times with artificial liver therapy. The incidence of tube blockage was significantly higher in patients in the PDF mode than in those in the PP and PE modes (P < 0.05), and there were differences in the location of blocked tubes between the treatment modes. Blocked tubes occurred more often in the venous cauldron of the circuit in the PDF mode and in the plasma separator of the circuit in the PP mode. The incidence of tube blockage was significantly lower in patients with no more than 3 treatments than in those with 3 to 5 treatments and those with more than 5 treatments (p < 0.05). The incidence of catheter blockage was higher in patients with PTA values ≤20% than in those with PTA values between 20% and 30%, and higher than in those with PTA values above 30% (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The risk factors of tube plugging in patients with liver failure treated with artificial liver include different treatment modes, different treatment times, and different PTA values. The PDF mode has a higher rate of tube plugging than PE or PP treatment modes. The more the number of treatment times and the lower the PTA value of patients, the more tube plugging is likely to occur.

Pre-emptive TIPSS in Acute Variceal Bleeding: Current Status, Controversies, and Future Directions

Acute variceal bleeding (AVB) is associated with significant short-term morbidity and mortality. Pre-emptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (p-TIPSS) is recommended to prevent rebleeding in AVB patients with a high risk of rebleeding. Despite the benefit of preventing rebleeding and de-novo ascites, the uptake of p-TIPSS remains low because logistic challenges in the real-world setting. In this review, we summarize the current evidence and controversies on p-TIPSS including patient selection for p-TIPSS, particularly in the setting of NASH cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure, the role of sarcopenia, renal impairment in the setting of p-TIPSS. Finally, we summarize both pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies to optimize outcomes in patients undergoing p-TIPSS.

Current and future perspectives on acute-on-chronic liver failure: Challenges of transplantation, machine perfusion, and beyond

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome that occurs in patients with chronic liver disease and is characterized by acute decompensation, organ failure and high short-term mortality. Partially due to the lack of universal diagnostic criteria, the actual ACLF prevalence remains unclear; nevertheless, it is expected to be a highly prevalent condition worldwide. Earlier transplantation is an effective protective measure for selected ACLF patients. Besides liver trans-plantation, diagnosing and treating precipitant events and providing supportive treatment for organ failures are currently the cornerstone of ACLF therapy. Although new clinical specific therapies have been researched, more studies are necessary to assess safety and efficacy. Therefore, future ACLF management strategies must consider measures to improve access to liver transplantation because the time window for this life-saving therapy is frequently narrow. Thus, an urgent and global discussion about allocation and prioritization for transplantation in critically ill ACLF patients is needed because there is evidence suggesting that the current model may not portray their waitlist mortality. In addition, while donor organ quality is meant to be a prognostic factor in the ACLF setting, recent evidence suggests that machine perfusion of the liver may be a safe tool to improve the donor organ pool and expedite liver transplantation in this scenario.

CLIF-SOFA and CLIF-C scores for the prognostication of acute-on-chronic liver failure and acute decompensation of cirrhosis: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome characterized by decompensation in individuals with chronic liver disease, generally secondary to one or more extra-hepatic organ failures, implying an elevated mortality rate. Acute decompensation (AD) is the term used for one or more significant consequences of liver disease in a short time and is the most common reason for hospital admission in cirrhotic patients. The European Association for the Study of Liver-Chronic-Liver Failure (EASL-CLIF) Group modified the intensive care Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score into CLIF-SOFA, which detects the presence of ACLF in patients with or without AD, classifying it into three grades.

AIM

To investigate the role of the EASL-CLIF definition for ACLF and the ability of CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C ACLF, and CLIF-C AD scores for prognosticating ACLF or AD.

METHODS

This study is a literature review using a standardized search method, conducted using the steps following the guidelines for reporting systematic reviews set out by the PRISMA statement. For specific keywords, relevant articles were found by searching PubMed, ScienceDirect, and BioMed Central-BMC. The databases were searched using the search terms by one reviewer, and a list of potentially eligible studies was generated based on the titles and abstracts screened. The data were then extracted and assessed on the basis of the Reference Citation Analysis (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/).

RESULTS

Most of the included studies used the EASL-CLIF definition for ACLF to identify cirrhotic patients with a significant risk of short-term mortality. The primary outcome in all reviewed studies was mortality. Most of the study findings were based on an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis, which revealed that CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C ACLF, and CLIF-C AD scores were preferable to other models predicting 28-d mortality. Their AUROC scores were higher and able to predict all-cause mortality at 90, 180, and 365 d. A total of 50 articles were included in this study, which found that the CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C ACLF and CLIF-C AD scores in more than half of the articles were able to predict short-term and long-term mortality in patients with either ACLF or AD.

CONCLUSION

CLIF-SOFA score surpasses other models in predicting mortality in ACLF patients, especially in the short-term. CLIF-SOFA, CLIF-C ACLF, and CLIF-C AD are accurate short-term and long-term mortality prognosticating scores.

Haemostasis patterns in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure and acute decompensation of cirrhosis including thromboelastometric tests with and without the addition of Protac: a pilot study

BACKGROUND

Thromboelastometry is considered the best method to assesses hemostasis in liver disease. Diagnostic performance could be improved by adding protein C activators such as thrombomodulin or Protac®. We assessed changes in ROTEM parameters after the addition of Protac® in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), acute decompensation (AD), and healthy individuals (HI) to define different hemostasis patterns, considering standard and velocity ROTEM parameters, and assess whether Protac® can improve the definition of the pattern.

METHODS

Pre-test, we investigated whether diluted EXTEM reagent improved the effect of Protac® on the clotting time (CT)-ratio with and without Protac®. Ten ACLF and 20 AD patients and 21 HI were included in the main study.

RESULTS

Standard EXTEM was used in the main study. INTEM CFT, INTEM A5 (inverse), and INTEM TPI (inverse) were the parameters that best differentiated liver disease from HI (ROC AUC, 0.921, 0.906, and 0.928, respectively; all P-values < 0.001). Combining INTEM CFT with EXTEM LI60-ratio only slightly improved the diagnostic performance (ROC AUC, 0.948; P < 0.001). EXTEM LI60 and INTEM maxV-t were the parameters that best differentiated between ACLF and AD patients (ROC AUC, 0.743, P = 0.033; and 0.723, P = 0.050; respectively). Combining EXTEM LI60 + INTEM maxV-t moderately improved the diagnostic performance (ROC AUC, 0.81, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

ROTEM velocity, fibrinolysis parameters and the indices calculated improve the diagnosis in combination with standard parameters (e.g., CFT and A5). Ratios calculated with and without Protac® (e.g., EXTEM LI60-ratio) only slightly increased the diagnostic performance in discriminating hemostasis patterns.

Liver support systems for adults with acute‐on‐chronic liver failure

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows:

To assess the benefits and harms of liver support systems for adults with acute‐on‐chronic liver failure.

Liver cirrhosis in children

Liver cirrhosis in children and adolescents is a consequence of a variety of chronic liver diseases, metabolic disorders, and genetic diseases. In infants, cirrhosis is most often due to biliary atresia and genetic-metabolic diseases, while in older children it usually occurs as a result of autoimmune hepatitis, Wilson’s disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Symptoms of cirrhosis in children and adolescents are not specific. In pediatric patients, the first sign of cirrhosis may more often be low weight gain, weakness, loss of appetite, low-grade fever, as well as more specific signs: transient jaundice, mild pruritus, epistaxis, heaviness in the right hypochondrium, changes in liver density on palpation, hyperbilirubinemia, hyperenzymemia, etc. Complications of pediatric cirrhosis are similar to those observed in adult patients and include gastrointestinal bleeding caused by esophageal varices, ascites, and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. In pediatric practice, special attention should be paid to nutritional correction in liver cirrhosis since children have higher requirements for protein and micronutrients for growth and development. Treatment of cirrhosis-induced portal hypertension in children and adolescents is mainly based on methods developed for adults. The article deals with diagnostic and differential diagnostic aspects of the terminal stage of liver disease in children. The therapeutic management of patients with cirrhosis of the liver and acute renal failure is based on support of various organ functions. Hemodialysis/ plasmapheresis may serve in some patients as an interim therapy before liver transplantation. The indications for liver transplantation and problems arising after surgery are considered. 

Terlipressin use and respiratory failure in patients with hepatorenal syndrome type 1 and severe acute-on-chronic liver failure

BACKGROUND

Previous studies suggested increased mortality in patients with hepatorenal syndrome type 1 (HRS1) and advanced acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

AIM

To assess mortality and respiratory failure (RF) in patients with HRS1 and ACLF treated with terlipressin.

METHODS

In the CONFIRM study, we randomised 299 patients with HRS1 2:1 to terlipressin or placebo, both with albumin. At enrolment, all patients were assessed for organ failure (OF) using a validated ACLF grading system. Post hoc analyses assessed the effects of terlipressin vs. placebo on the incidence of RF and 90-day mortality.

RESULTS

The incidence of RF with terlipressin (n = 200) was 9.4% in patients with grades 1-2 ACLF, and 30% with grade 3 ACLF (p = 0.0002); no such difference was observed in placebo-treated patients (n = 99) (6.2% grades 1-2 vs. 0% grade 3 ACLF, p > 0.05). RF incidence between terlipressin and placebo in patients with grade 3 ACLF was significant (p = 0.01). Baseline predictors of RF with terlipressin were INR (p = 0.011), mean arterial pressure (p = 0.037), and SpO₂ (p = 0.014). Prior albumin as a continuous variable was not a predictor of RF. 90-day survival between terlipressin and placebo arms was similar for grades 1-2 ACLF (55.5% and 56.6%, respectively), but lower for grade 3 ACLF (27.55% vs. 50.0%) (p = 0.122), mainly related to RF.

CONCLUSION

Terlipressin should be used with caution in patients with HRS1 and grade 3 ACLF. Patients with hypoxaemia are at increased risk of RF and mortality.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio represents a systemic inflammation marker and reflects the relationship with 90-day mortality in non-cirrhotic chronic severe hepatitis

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the relationship between systemic inflammatory response and short-term mortality in patients with non-cirrhotic chronic severe hepatitis (CSH) by using several indicators of inflammation including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil (NEU), white blood cell (WBC), platelet-to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR).

METHODS

Data were collected from two prospectively enrolled CATCH-LIFE noncirrhotic cohorts. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the association between systemic inflammatory biomarkers and 90-day liver transplant (LT)-free mortality. A generalized additive model (GAM) was used to illustrate the quantitative curve relationship between NLR and 90-day LT-free mortality. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate the 90-year LT-free survival.

RESULTS

The prevalence of CSH was 20.5% (226/1103). The 28-day and 90-day LT-free mortality rates were 17.7% and 26.1%, respectively, for patients with non-cirrhotic CSH. Patients with no infection accounted for 75.0% of all CSH patients, and NLR was independently associated with 90-day LT-free mortality. NLR of 2.9 might be related to disease deterioration in CSH patients without infection.

CONCLUSIONS

NLR may be an independent risk factor for 90-day LT-free mortality in patients with non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease. A NLR of 2.9 as the cut-off value can be used to predict disease aggravation in CSH patients without infection.

The Role of Presepsin and Procalcitonin in Early Diagnosis of Bacterial Infections in Cirrhotic Patients with Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Background and Objectives: Bacterial infections represent one of the most frequent precipitating events of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in a patient with liver cirrhosis (LC). Early diagnosis and treatment could influence the ACLF reversal rate and decrease the mortality rate in these patients. The study aimed to evaluate the role of presepsin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) in the early diagnosis of bacterial infections in patients with LC and ACLF, defined according to the European Association for the Study of the Liver-Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (EASL-CLIF) criteria. Material and Methods: We performed a prospective observational study including all consecutive cirrhotic patients with ACLF admitted to our tertiary university center. The patients were follow-up until discharge. All patients were screened for infection at admission, and we included patients with community-acquired or healthcare-associated bacterial infections. Results: In this study, we included 153 patients with a median age of 60 years, of whom 65.4% were male. Infections were diagnosed in 71 patients (46.4%). The presepsin, CRP, and PCT levels were higher in patients with infections than in those without infections (p < 0.001, p = 0.023, and p < 0.001, respectively). The ROC analysis results demonstrated that the best cut-offs values for infections diagnosis were for presepsin 2300 pg/mL (sensitivity of 81.7%, specificity of 92.7%, AUROC 0.959, p < 0.001), CRP 5.3 mg/dL (sensitivity of 54.9%, specificity of 69.6%, AUROC 0.648, p = 0.023), and PCT 0.9 ng/mL (sensitivity of 80.3%, specificity of 86.6%, AUROC 0.909, p < 0.001). Presepsin (OR 3.65, 95%CI 1.394−9.588, p = 0.008), PCT (OR 9.79, 95%CI 6.168−25.736, p < 0.001), and MELD score (OR 7.37, 95%CI 1.416−18.430, p = 0.018) were associated with bacterial infections in patients with ACLF. Conclusion: Presepsin level ≥2300 pg/mL and PCT level ≥0.9 ng/mL may be adequate non-invasive tools for the early diagnosis of infections in cirrhotics with ACLF.

Alcohol and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a clinical syndrome that occurs in patients with cirrhosis and is characterised by acute deterioration, organ failure and high short-term mortality. Alcohol is one of the leading causes of ACLF and the most frequently reported aetiology of underlying chronic liver disease. Among patients with alcoholic hepatitis (AH), ACLF is a frequent and severe complication. It is characterised by both immune dysfunction associated to an increased risk of infection and high-grade systemic inflammation that ultimately induce organ failure. Diagnosis and severity of ACLF determine AH prognosis, and therefore, ACLF prognostic scores should be used in severe AH with organ failure. Corticosteroids remain the first-line treatment for severe AH but they seem insufficient when ACLF is associated. Novel therapeutic targets to contain the excessive inflammatory response and reduce infection have been identified and are under investigation. With liver transplantation remaining one of the most effective therapies for severe AH and ACLF, adequate organ allocation represents a growing challenge. Hence, a clear understanding of the pathophysiology, clinical implications and management strategies of ACLF in AH is essential for hepatologists, which is narrated briefly in this review.

Distinct responses between healthy and cirrhotic human livers upon lipopolysaccharide challenge: possible implications for acute-on-chronic liver failure

Patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) are at risk of developing acute hepatic decompensation and organ failures with an unraveled complex mechanism. An altered immune response toward insults in cirrhotic compared with healthy livers may contribute to the ACLF development. Therefore, we aim to investigate the differences in inflammatory responses between cirrhotic and healthy livers using human precision-cut liver slices (PCLSs) upon the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. PCLSs prepared from livers of patients with cirrhosis or healthy donors of liver transplantation were incubated ex vivo with or without LPS for up to 48 h. Viability test, qRT-PCR, and multiplex cytokine assay were performed. Regulation of the LPS receptors during incubation or with LPS challenge differed between healthy versus cirrhotic PCLSs. LPS upregulated TLR-2 in healthy PCLSs solely (P < 0.01). Culturing for 48 h induced a stronger inflammatory response in the cirrhotic than healthy PCLS. Upon LPS stimulation, cirrhotic PCLSs secreted more proinflammatory cytokines (IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α, eotaxin, and VEGF) significantly and less anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1ra) than those of healthy. In summary, cirrhotic PCLSs released more proinflammatory and less anti-inflammatory cytokines after LPS stimuli than healthy, leading to dysregulated inflammatory response. These events could possibly resemble the liver immune response in ACLF.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Precision-cut liver slices (PCLSs) model provides a unique platform to investigate the different immune responses of healthy versus cirrhotic livers in humans. Our data show that cirrhotic PCLSs exhibit excessive inflammatory response accompanied by a lower anti-inflammatory cytokine release in response to LPS; a better understanding of this alteration may guide the novel therapeutic approaches to mitigate the excessive inflammation during the onset of acute-on-chronic liver failure.

The Immune Pathogenesis of Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure and the Danger Hypothesis

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a group of clinical syndromes related to severe acute liver function impairment and multiple-organ failure caused by various acute triggering factors on the basis of chronic liver disease. Due to its severe condition, rapid progression, and high mortality, it has received increasing attention. Recent studies have shown that the pathogenesis of ACLF mainly includes direct injury and immune injury. In immune injury, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), dendritic cells (DCs), and CD4⁺ T cells accumulate in the liver tissue, secrete a variety of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and recruit more immune cells to the liver, resulting in immune damage to the liver tissue, massive hepatocyte necrosis, and liver failure, but the key molecules and signaling pathways remain unclear. The “danger hypothesis” holds that in addition to the need for antigens, damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) also play a very important role in the occurrence of the immune response, and this hypothesis is related to the pathogenesis of ACLF. Here, the research status and development trend of ACLF, as well as the mechanism of action and research progress on various DAMPs in ACLF, are summarized to identify biomarkers that can predict the occurrence and development of diseases or the prognosis of patients at an early stage.

Improvement Effect of PERMA Model-Based Nursing Intervention plus Music Therapy on Patients with Acute Liver Failure Undergoing Plasma Exchange Therapy

Objective

To explore the improvement effect of PERMA model-based nursing intervention plus music therapy (MT) on patients with acute liver failure (AHF) undergoing plasma exchange therapy (PET).

Methods

This research included 100 AHF patients treated with PET in our hospital, between January 2020 and December 2021, including 54 cases receiving PERMA model-based nursing intervention plus MT (observation group, OG) and 46 cases receiving routine nursing (control group, CG). Clinical efficacy and liver function (LF) were compared between the groups. Prenursing and postnursing psychology, treatment compliance, sleep, pain, and quality of life were assessed, and patient satisfaction was investigated at discharge.

Results

The postnursing overall efficacy showed no evident difference between the groups (P > 0.05). The clinical efficacy was mainly markedly significant (50.00%) in OG and effective (43.48%) in CG. The overall response rate was not statistically different between groups (χ 2 = 1.392, P > 0.05). OG presented better LF, treatment compliance, and sleep quality after nursing, with milder negative emotions and pain than CG (P < 0.05). A higher patient satisfaction rate was also determined in OG at discharge (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

PERMA model-based nursing intervention plus MT can effectively improve the psychological state, treatment compliance, and quality of life of AHF patients with PET and reduce pain sensation, which has promising clinical application value in the future.

Discordance in categorization of acute-on-chronic liver failure in the United Network for Organ Sharing database

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Studies regarding acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) among liver transplant (LT) candidates from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database are being used to inform LT policy changes worldwide. We assessed the validity of identifying ACLF in UNOS.

METHODS

We performed stratified random sampling among 3 US LT centers between 2013-2019 to obtain a representative patient sample across ACLF grades. We compared the concordance of ACLF classification by UNOS vs. blinded manual chart review, according to EASL-CLIF.

RESULTS

Among 481 sampled LT registrants, 250 (52%) had no ACLF, 75 (16%) had ACLF grade 1, 79 (16%) had ACLF grade 2, and 77 (16%) had ACLF grade 3 per UNOS categorization. Concordance of ACLF grade by UNOS vs. chart review was: 72%, 64%, 56%, and 64% for no ACLF, grade 1, grade 2, and grade 3, respectively, with an overall Cohen's kappa coefficient of 0.48 (95% CI 0.42-0.54). Absence of acute decompensation was the most common reason for overestimation, and discordant brain and respiratory failure categorization were the most common reasons for underestimation of ACLF by UNOS.

CONCLUSIONS

In this retrospective multi-center study, ACLF categorization by UNOS showed weak agreement with manual chart review. These findings are informative for ongoing allocation policy discussions, highlight the importance of prospective studies regarding ACLF in LT, and should encourage UNOS reform.

LAY SUMMARY

Acute-on-chronic-liver-failure (ACLF) is a specific and common form of liver failure associated with high death rates. Studies have been published using the United States transplant registry (UNOS) to identify and describe outcomes of transplant candidates and recipients with ACLF, and these data are driving policy changes for transplant allocation around the world, but nobody has shown whether these data are reliable. We found that UNOS was not categorizing ACLF in concordance or accurately when compared to chart review, which shows the need for UNOS reform and non-UNOS studies to appropriately inform policies regarding the transplantation of patients with ACLF.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and C-reactive protein and plasma von Willebrand concentrations in 23 dogs with chronic hepatopathies

BACKGROUND

Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)VD) and C-reactive protein (CRP) and von Willebrand's factor (vWF) concentration correlate with histopathologic disease grade and stage in chronic inflammatory and fibrotic hepatopathies (CH) in humans.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate serum 25(OH)VD and serum CRP concentrations and plasma vWF concentration and determine if they correlate with histopathologic and biochemical variables in dog with CH.

ANIMALS

Twenty-three client-owned dogs with a histopathologic diagnosis of CH were prospectively enrolled.

METHODS

Blood samples were collected before liver biopsy. Correlations between biomarkers and clinical pathological and histopathologic variables were evaluated using Pearson's or Spearman's test.

RESULTS

Serum 25(OH)VD concentration (median, 213 nmol/L; range, 42-527 nmol/L) was negatively correlated with serum aspartate aminotransferase activity (AST; rho = -0.59, P < .01), polymorphonuclear neutrophil count (PMN; r = -0.46, P < .05), and positively correlated with serum albumin concentration (r = 0.69, P < .001). Serum CRP concentration (median, 7.4 μg/L; range, 1-44.9 μg/L) was positively correlated with overall histopathologic necroinflammatory activity (r = 0.78, P < .001) and fibrosis score (rho = 0.49, P < .05). Plasma vWF concentration (median, 73.3%; range, 15-141%) was positively correlated with fibrosis score (r = 0.53, P < .05) and prothrombin time (rho = 0.67, P < .01), and negatively correlated with serum albumin concentration (r = -0.73, P < .001).

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

In dogs with CH, serum 25(OH)VD concentration was negatively correlated with disease activity, whereas serum CRP concentration and plasma vWF concentration were positively correlated with histopathologic grade and stage. Our results provide preliminary evidence that these biomarkers may be useful to assess grade and stage of CH in dogs in the absence of liver biopsy.

Wenyang Huazhuo Tuihuang Formula Inhibits the Th17/Treg Cell Imbalance and Protects against Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure

Objective

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a group of chronic liver diseases and caused by acute internal and external liver injury. Wenyang Huazhuo Tuihuang (WYHZTH) formula had a good clinical effect on promoting the resolution of jaundice. The aim of this study is to further investigate the mechanism of the WYHZTH formula in the ACLF rat model.

Methods

The ACLF rat model was constructed by combining human serum albumin with LPS and D-gal. WYHZTH was used to intervene and treat. The cytokines IL-17, IL-23, IL-10, and TGF-β were detected by ELISA and fluorescence-quantitative PCR. Flow cytometry was used to detect the percentage of Th17 and Treg cells in the peripheral blood and liver tissues of each group of rats. The pathological changes in the liver tissue were detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and electron microscopy.

Results

Compared with the ACLF group, the WYHZTH formula and Thy significantly decreased the levels of ALT, AST, and CHE in the ACLF group. After drug intervention, apoptosis was significantly reduced. The PCNA expression decreased in the ACLF model group but increased in the WYHZTH or Thy group. Under transmission electron microscope, hepatocytes in the ACLF group showed obvious necrosis. After drug intervention, hepatocyte necrosis was reduced with most of the structure returning to normal.

Conclusion

This present study demonstrated that WYHZTH formula may protect against acute-on-chronic liver failure, which may be related to the inhibition of Th17/Treg cell imbalance.