Elsevier

Journal of Hepatology

Volume 57, Issue 6, December 2012, Pages 1336-1348
Journal of Hepatology

Review
Acute-on chronic liver failure

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2012.06.026Get rights and content
Under a Creative Commons license
open access

Summary

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is an increasingly recognised entity encompassing an acute deterioration of liver function in patients with cirrhosis, which is usually associated with a precipitating event and results in the failure of one or more organs and high short term mortality. Prospective data to define this is lacking but there is a large body of circumstantial evidence suggesting that this condition is a distinct clinical entity. From the pathophysiologic perspective, altered host response to injury and infection play important roles in its development. This review focuses upon the current understanding of this syndrome from the clinical, prognostic and pathophysiologic perspectives and indicates potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for intervention.

Keywords

Acute-on chronic liver failure
Hepatorenal syndrome
Hepatic encephalopathy
Immune failure
Liver support
Liver transplantation

Cited by (0)