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

ABSTRACT: The term acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) defines an abrupt and life-threatening worsening of clinical conditions in patients with cirrhosis or chronic liver disease. In recent years, different definitions and diagnostic criteria for the syndrome have been proposed by the major international scientific societies. The main controversies relate to the type of acute insult (specifically hepatic or also extrahepatic), the stage of underlying liver disease (cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis) and the concomitant extrahepatic organ failure(s) that should be considered in the definition of ACLF. Therefore, different severity criteria and prognostic scores have been proposed and validated. Current evidence shows that the pathophysiology of ACLF is closely associated with an intense systemic infla

SUBMITTER: Zaccherini G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7652714 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature