ABSTRACT
La albúmina sérica humana es la proteína más abundante en el plasma, su estructura molecular le confiere estabilidad, pero también flexibilidad para ligar y transportar un amplio rango de moléculas. Su función oncótica es la propiedad más reconocida que la lleva a introducirse en la terapéutica médica como un expansor de volumen. Sin embargo, en los últimos años se le han adicionado funciones con carácter antioxidante, inmunomodulador y de estabilización endotelial, que hacen presumir que su impacto terapéutico está más allá de sus funciones volumétricas. En los últimos años, específicamente en la cirrosis y la falla hepática aguda sobre crónica, se ha tenido un cambio en el paradigma fisiológico, desde una perspectiva netamente hemodinámica hacia una perspectiva inflamatoria, en donde las funciones oncóticas y no oncóticas de la albúmina están alteradas y tienen un carácter pronóstico en estas entidades. Este conocimiento creciente, desde una perspectiva inflamatoria, hace que se fortalezca el uso terapéutico de la albúmina sérica humana desde las indicaciones tradicionales como prevención de la disfunción circulatoria posparacentesis, prevención y tratamiento de lesión renal aguda, hasta las discusiones para administración a largo plazo en pacientes cirróticos con ascitis.
Human serum albumin is the most abundant protein in plasma, with a molecular structure that provides stability while also allowing flexibility to bind and transport a wide range of molecules. Its oncotic function is the most recognized property, leading to its introduction in medical therapy as a volume expander. However, in recent years, additional functions with antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and endothelial stabilization properties have been identified, suggesting that its therapeutic impact extends beyond its volumetric functions. Specifically, in cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure, there has been a shift in the pathophysiological paradigm from a purely hemodynamic perspective to an inflammatory perspective, where both oncotic and non-oncotic functions of albumin are altered and have prognostic significance in these conditions. This growing understanding from an inflammatory perspective strengthens the therapeutic use of human serum albumin, not only for traditional indications such as the prevention of post-paracentesis circulatory disfunction, prevention and treatment of acute kidney injury, but also for discussions regarding long-term administration in cirrhotic patients with ascites.
ABSTRACT
Acute-on-chronic liver failure has complex conditions， rapid progression， and a high mortality rate， and further studies are still needed to clarify its pathogenesis and etiology. The establishment of animal models for acute-on-chronic liver failure can not only provide a good basis for exploring the pathogenesis of acute-on-chronic liver failure， but also provide an experimental basis for clinical treatment. Through a literature review， this article summarizes the methods commonly used to establish the animal models of acute-on-chronic liver failure， including carbon tetrachloride combined with LPS/GaIN， thioacetamide combined with LPS， serum albumin， and bile duct ligation. This article analyzes the characteristics of various animal models， so as to provide documentary and experimental bases for further exploration of more ideal animal models.
ABSTRACT
La falla hepática aguda sobre crónica (ACLF) es un síndrome que se presenta en pacientes con cirrosis descompensada, y se caracteriza por una mortalidad elevada a 28 días, que se diagnostica con la combinación de falla hepática y extrahepática. Se han publicado numerosas definiciones, de las cuales se resalta la realizada por la Asociación Europea para el Estudio del Hígado (EASL), la cual tiene en cuenta 6 sistemas orgánicos (hígado, riñón, pulmón, cerebro, coagulación y circulación), y gradúa su gravedad basada en el número de sistemas comprometidos en el momento de la presentación. Entre los pilares en el abordaje del paciente con ACLF es imperiosa la búsqueda de los factores precipitantes, siendo los más frecuentes las infecciones bacterianas, el consumo excesivo de alcohol, la hemorragia de vías digestivas, la injuria hepática inducida por medicamentos y la cirugía hepática o cirugía mayor, teniendo en cuenta que aproximadamente en el 50 % de los casos no se logrará establecer la causa. Los pilares angulares del tratamiento constarán de la reversión o interrupción del factor precipitante, el soporte orgánico y, en aquellos pacientes que cumplan los criterios para trasplante, su realización oportuna.
Acute-on-chronic liver failure is a syndrome that occurs in patients with acute decompensated cirrhosis and is characterized by high 28-day mortality that is diagnosed with a combination of hepatic and extrahepatic organ failure. Numerous definitions have been published with great concern related to the etiology and cause of the decompensation, of which the one made by the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) stands out, taking into account 6 organic systems (liver, kidney, lung, brain, coagulation, and circulation), and grades its severity based on the number of systems involved at the time of presentation. Among the pillars in the approach to the patient with ACLF, the search for precipitating factors is imperative, the most frequent being bacte-rial infections, excessive alcohol consumption, digestive tract bleeding, drug-induced liver injury, liver surgery or major surgery, keeping in mind that in approximately 50% of cases the cause will not be established. The cornerstones of treatment will consist of the reversal or interruption of the precipitating factor, organ support and, in those patients who meet the criteria for transplantation, its timely performance.
Subject(s)
Humans , Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure , Fibrosis , Precipitating Factors , Liver Failure , LiverABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the prognostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).Methods:The clinical data, including age, gender, complications, laboratory examination results post-admission, SII, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, MELD-Na score, Child-Turcotte Pugh (CTP) score of HBV-ACLF patients treated in Huashan Hospital, Fudan University from January 2016 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into survival group and death group according to the outcome at 90 days of follow-up.Paired sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis.Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between SII and the prognosis prediction model of HBV-ACLF. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to analyze the clinical efficacies of SII, MELD score, MELD-Na score and CTP score in predicting the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients, and the optimal cut-off value of SII for predicting the prognosis of HBV-ACLF was calculated. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Results:A total of 140 patients with HBV-ACLF were included. There were 88 patients in the survival group, including 65 males and 23 females, with the age of (47.69±11.96) years. There were 52 cases in the death group, including 40 males and 12 females, with the age of (52.73±12.22) years. The age, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, serum creatinine, international normalized ratio, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, SII, MELD score, MELD-Na score, CTP score and the incidence of infection in the death group were all significantly higher than those in the survival group, and albumin, lymphocyte count, platelet count, prognostic nutritional index in the death group were all significantly lower than those in the survival group, and the differences were all statistically significant ( t=-2.39, Z=-2.84, t=-4.81, Z=-2.15, Z=-4.91, Z=-3.47, Z=-3.36, Z=-3.83, Z=-4.69, Z=-4.56, Z=-6.31, χ2=24.96, t=3.06, t=3.03, Z=-7.57 and t=4.12, respectively, all P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that SII was positively correlated with CTP score ( r=0.272 7, P=0.001), MELD score ( r=0.365 8, P<0.001) and MELD-Na score ( r=0.381 1, P<0.001). The AUC of SII was the largest of 0.80, and 0.76 for MELD score, 0.74 for MELD-Na score and 0.73 for CTP score. The optimal cut-off value of SII was 447.49. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the 90 days survival rate of patients with SII≥447.49(38.60%(22/57)) was lower than that of SII<447.49 group (79.52%(66/83)), and the difference between the two groups was significant ( χ2=23.80, P<0.001). Conclusions:SII can be used to assess the severity and prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. SII ≥447.49 indicates poor prognosis.
ABSTRACT
By summarising Professor WANG Xianbo's clinical experience in treating hepatitis B virus associated acute-on-chronic liver failure （HBV-ACLF）， it is believed that HBV-ACLF is a syndrome of root-cause deficiency and manifestation excess， with spleen deficiency as the root cause and dampness-heat-toxicity-blood stasis as the manifestation， and the therapeutic methods proposed as “detoxification and cooling of the blood to promote circulation of the internal organs， and strengthening spleen and resolving dampness to take care of the middle energizer”. In the treatment of HBV-ACLF， for syndrome of stasis-heat-toxicity mass， it was common to use the Jiedu Liangxue Formula （解毒凉血方） by detoxifying and cooling blood； For syndrome of dampness-heat-toxicity mass， it was common to use in the Jiedu Liangxue Lishi Formula （解毒凉血利湿方） by detoxifying and cooling the blood， strengthening the spleen and resolving dampness； For syndrome of spleen-deficiency and dampness-heat， it was common to use in the Jiedu Liangxue Jianpi Formula （解毒凉血健脾方， also known as Zhonggan No.2 Formula） by strengthening the spleen and reple-nishing qi， clearing heat and resolving dampness.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the value of MELD 3.0， MELD， and MELD-Na scores in assessing the 90-day prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF） through a comparative study. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 605 patients with ACLF who were treated in Tianjin Third Central Hospital， The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital， and Beijing YouAn Hospital from November 2012 to June 2019， and according to the 90-day follow-up results after admission， they were divided into survival group with 392 patients and death group with 213 patients. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve， the area under the ROC curve （AUC）， net reclassification improvement （NRI）， integrated discrimination improvement （IDI）， and decision curve analysis （DCA） curve were used to investigate the value of MELD 3.0， MELD， and MELD-Na scores at baseline， day 3， week 1， and week 2 in predicting the prognosis of the disease. ResultsAt day 3 and week 1， MELD 3.0 score had an AUC of 0.775 and 0.808， respectively， with a better AUC than MELD score （P<0.05）. At day 3， week 1， and week 2， MELD 3.0 score showed an NRI of 0.125， 0.100， and 0.081， respectively， compared with MELD in predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients， as well as an NRI of 0.093， 0.140， and 0.204， respectively， compared with MELD-Na score in predicting prognosis. At baseline， day 3， week 1， and week 2， MELD 3.0 showed an IDI of 0.011， 0.025， 0.017， and 0.013， respectively， compared with MELD in predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients. At day 3 and week 2， MELD 3.0 showed an IDI of 0.027 and 0.038， respectively， compared with MELD-Na in predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients. All the above NRIs and IDIs were >0， indicating a positive improvement （all P<0.05）. DCA curves showed that MELD 3.0 was superior to MELD at day 3 and was significantly superior to MELD-Na at week 2. There was no significant difference in the ability of the three scores in predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients with different types， and there was also no significant difference in the ability of the three scores in predicting the prognosis of ACLF patients with the etiology of HBV infection， alcohol， or HBV infection combined with alcohol， while MELD 3.0 was superior to MELD for ACLF patients with other etiologies （P<0.05）. ConclusionMELD 3.0 score is better than MELD and MELD-Na scores in predicting the 90-day survival of patients with ACLF， but with limited superiority.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the influence of different diagnostic criteria on the short-term prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF）. MethodsA total of 115 ACLF patients who were hospitalized in Department of Gastroenterology， The Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University， from January 2018 to January 2022 were enrolled， and all patients received internal medical treatment combined with artificial liver therapy. According to the guidelines， the patients were divided into CMA guideline group （Diagnostic and treatment guidelines for liver failure by Chinese Medical Association）（n=100）， APASL guideline group （Consensus statements of Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver）（n=94）， and EASL guideline group （Criteria proposed by European Association for the Study of the Liver）（n=36）. The above three guidelines were compared in terms of 90-day mortality rate. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comprision of continuous date between groups； the chi-square test was used for comprision of categorical date between groups. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve of related variables. ResultsThe 90-day mortality rate was 50.0% in the CMA guideline group， 51.1% in the APASL guideline group， and 77.8% in the EASL guideline group， and the EASL guideline group had a significantly higher 90-day mortality rate than the CMA guideline group （χ2=8.351， P=0.004） and the APASL guideline group （χ2=7.650， P=0.006）. EASL guideline had a sensitivity of 22.2% and a specificity of 92.3% in predicting the risk of short-term mortality， with an area under the ROC curve was 0.576. ConclusionACLF patients who meet EASL guideline tend to have a worse short-term prognosis， and this guideline may help to identify patients at a relatively high risk of short-term death.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate and compare the value of albumin-related ratios ［total bilirubin-to-albumin ratio （TAR）， creatinine-to-albumin ratio （CAR）， prothrombin time-international normalized ratio-to-albumin ratio （IAR）， neutrophil count-to-albumin ratio （NAR）， and red blood cell distribution width-to-albumin ratio （RAR）］ in predicting the short-term prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure （HBV-ACLF）. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 354 patients with HBV-ACLF who were admitted to Department of Infectious Diseases， The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University， from June 2017 to February 2022， and according to their prognosis at 3 months of follow-up， they were divided into survival group （n=272） and death group （n=82）. Related indices were recorded for all patients， including age， sex， complications， and the results of routine blood test， liver function， and coagulation for the first time after admission， and albumin-related ratios and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease （MELD） score were calculated. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distribution continuous data between groups； the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The Spearman correlation test was used to investigate the correlation between albumin-related ratios and MELD score. The Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association of MELD score， TAR， CAR， IAR， NAR， and RAR with poor prognosis. The area under the ROC curve （AUC） was used to as sess the accuracy of albumin-related ratios and MELD score in predicting the short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients， and the De-Long test was used for the comparison of AUC. ResultsCompared with the death group， the survival group had significantly lower MELD score （Z=-8.071， P<0.001）， TAR （Z=-6.695， P<0.001）， CAR （Z=-4.463， P<0.001）， IAR （Z=-7.912， P<0.001）， NAR （Z=-4.061， P<0.001）， and RAR （Z=-4.788， P<0.001）. MELD score was positively correlated with CAR （r=0.616， P<0.001）， IAR （r=0.733， P<0.001）， TAR （r=0.657， P<0.001）， NAR （r=0.392， P<0.001）， and RAR （r=0.380， P<0.001）. The multivariate regression analysis of MELD score and albumin-related ratios showed that high TAR （odds ratio ［OR］=1.014， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.008 — 1.020， P<0.001） and high IAR （OR=22.052， 95%CI： 6.937 — 70.103， P<0.001） were independent risk factors for death. The ROC curves were plotted for albumin-related ratios and MELD score to evaluate their discriminatory ability for mortality， and the results showed that MELD score， TAR， CAR， IAR， NAR， and RAR had an AUC of 0.794， 0.744， 0.663， 0.788， 0.648， and 0.674， respectively， among which MELD score had the highest sensitivity of 86.59% and CAR had the highest specificity of 77.57%. TAR combined with IAR had an AUC of 0.809， with a sensitivity of 76.8% and a specificity of 71.3%. Subgroup analysis of HBV-ACLF showed that TAR combined with IAR had the highest AUC values of 0.884 and 0.733， respectively， in patients with type A or type C HBV-ACLF. ConclusionTAR and IAR can be used as simple and effective prognostic tools to predict the 90-day mortality of HBV-ACLF patients.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the influencing factors for the prognosis of patients with acute－on－chronic liver failure （ACLF）， and to establish a short－term prognostic model. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the baseline clinical data of 247 patients with ACLF who were hospitalized in Department of Infectious Diseases， The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University， from January 2011 to December 2016， and the patients were divided into survival group and death group. The two groups were compared to identify the influencing factors for prognosis； a prognostic model was established， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess its predictive efficacy and determine the optimal cut－off value. The independent－samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the Mann－Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non－normally distributed continuous data between groups； the Fisher’s exact test or the Pearson’s chi－square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the independent risk factors for 28－ and 90－day prognosis， and the Kaplan－Meier method was used to plot the 28－day survival curves. ResultsA total of 220 patients with ACLF were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria； there were 148 patients in the 28－day survival group and 72 patients in the 28－day death group， with a 28－day transplantation－free survival rate of 67.27%； there were 115 patients in the 90－day survival group and 105 patients in the 90－day death group， with a 90－day transplantation－free survival rate of 52.27%. The logistic regression analysis showed that female sex （odds ratio ［OR］=2.149， P=0.030）， high Model for End－Stage Liver Disease （MELD） score （OR=1.120， P<0.001）， and low lymphocyte count （OR=0.411， P=0.002） were independent risk factors for 28－day prognosis， and an LS－MELD model for 28－day prognosis was established as Logit （28－day prognosis）=－3.432+0.765×sex－0.890×lymphocyte count×10－9+0.113×MELD（1 for male sex and 2 for female sex）. The ROC curve analysis showed that this model had an optimal cut－off value of 0.35， and then the patients were divided into low LS－MELD group （≤0.35） and high LS－MELD group （>0.35）； the low LS－MELD group had a significantly higher 28－day survival rate than the high LS－MELD group （P<0.001）. ConclusionPeripheral blood lymphocyte count combined with sex and MELD score has a certain value in predicting the short－term prognosis of ALCF patients.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo investigate the characteristics of intrahepatic and extrahepatic organ failure at the onset of acute－on－chronic liver failure（ACLF）， to explore the features of a new clinical classification system of ACLF， and to provide a basis for the diagnosis， treatment， prognostic analysis of the disease. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of the patients who were hospitalized Beijing YouAn Hospital， Capital Medical University， from January 2015 to October 2022 and were diagnosed with ACLF for the first time. According to the conditions of intrahepatic and extrahepatic organ failure at disease onset， they were classified into type Ⅰ ACLF and type Ⅱ ACLF. Type Ⅰ ACLF referred to liver failure on the basis of chronic liver diseases， and type Ⅱ ACLF referred to acute decompensation of chronic liver diseases combined with multiple organ failure. The clinical features of patients with type Ⅰ or type Ⅱ ACLF were analyzed， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to assess the value of MELD， MELD－Na， and CLIF－C ACLF scoring system in predicting the 90－day prognosis of ACLF patients with type Ⅰ or type Ⅱ ACLF. The independent－samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Wilcoxon rank－sum test was used for comparison of non－normally distributed continuous data between two groups； the chi－square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. ResultsA total of 582 patients with ACLF were enrolled， among whom there were 535 patients with type Ⅰ ACLF and 47 patients with type Ⅱ ACLF. Hepatitis B and alcoholic liver disease were the main causes in both groups， with no significant difference between the two groups （P>0.05）. Chronic non－cirrhotic liver disease （28.2%） and compensated liver cirrhosis （56.8%） were the main underlying liver diseases in type Ⅰ ACLF， while compensated liver cirrhosis （34.0%） and decompensated liver cirrhosis （61.7%） were the main underlying liver diseases in type Ⅱ ACLF， and there was no significant difference in underlying liver diseases between the patients with type Ⅰ ACLF and those with type Ⅱ ACLF （P<0.001）. The patients with type Ⅱ ACLF had significantly higher median MELD score， MELD－Na score， and CLIF－C ACLF score than those with type Ⅰ ACLF （all P<0.001）. The patients with type Ⅱ ACLF had significantly higher 28－ and 90－day mortality rates than those with type Ⅰ ACLF （38.3%/53.2% vs 15.5%/27.5%， P<0.001）. For the patients with type Ⅰ ACLF who did not progress to multiple organ failure， the patients with an increase in MELD score accounted for 63.7% in the death group and 10.1% in the survival group （P<0.001）， while for the patients with type Ⅰ ACLF who progressed to multiple organ failure， there was no significant difference in the change in MELD score between the survival group and the death group （P>0.05）. In the patients with type Ⅰ ACLF， MELD score， MELD－Na score， and CLIF－C ACLF score had an area under the ROC curve （AUC） of 0.735， 0.737， and 0.740， respectively， with no significant difference between any two scores （all P>0.05）. In the patients with type Ⅱ ACLF， CLIF－C ACLF score had a significantly higher AUC than MELD score （0.880 vs 0.560， P<0.01） and MELD－Na score （0.880 vs 0.513， P<0.01）. ConclusionThere are differences in underlying liver diseases， clinical features， and prognosis between type Ⅰ and type Ⅱ ACLF， and different prognosis scoring systems have different emphases， which provide a basis for the new clinical classification system of ACLF from the perspective of evidence－based medicine.
ABSTRACT
Acute－on－chronic liver failure （ACLF） is a serious form of acute decompensation of liver cirrhosis， which is characterized by multiple organ failure， systemic inflammatory response， and a high short－term mortality rate. In 2023， the European Association for the Study of the Liver gave recommendations to clinicians， aiming to help them with the diagnosis of ACLF， the decision of triage （whether it is necessary to transfer a patient to the ICU for treatment）， the identification and management of acute predisposing factors， the identification of organs that need support or replacement therapy， the definition of potential criteria for ineffective ICU treatment， and the determination of potential indications for liver transplantation. This article gives an excerpt of the above main contents in the guidelines.
ABSTRACT
Acute－on－chronic liver failure （ACLF） is a common clinical syndrome of severe liver disease characterized by a high short－term mortality rate in clinical practice. Therefore， early and accurate evaluation of the prognosis of ACLF patients is of great significance for making clinical decisions and improving prognosis. This article reviews the recent research advances in markers for the prognostic evaluation of ACLF， in order to improve the existing prognostic evaluation system， assist clinicians in providing timely and appropriate clinical intervention， and further reduce the mortality rate of patients.
ABSTRACT
Patients with advanced chronic liver disease （ACLD） are hospitalized due to hepatitis， acute decompensation or liver failure and its complications， and they often require stratified management due to different severities. The patients with acute－on－chronic liver failure （ACLF） have the highest short－term mortality rate among ACLD patients and should be treated in tertiary hospitals. Although non－ACLF patients tend to have a relatively low mortality rate， they still have the risk of progression to ACLF， and there is a significant increase in mortality rate after progression to ACLF， which requires stratified management. The patients with extremely low progression rates often have favorable clinical outcomes and can be administrated in primary hospitals， while the high－risk population should be closely monitored and timely transferred in case of disease progression. However， currently there is still a lack of accurate predictive models for evaluating the risk of progression to ACLF， and further studies are needed to find new biomarkers or algorithms.
ABSTRACT
Acute－on－chronic liver failure （ACLF） has complex pathogeneses， difficulties in clinical treatment， and poor prognosis. Due to the differences in the distribution of chronic liver diseases in different countries and regions， more than ten scoring and classification systems for ACLF have been proposed in the past few decades， indicating that there are great differences in the definition， scoring， and classification of ACLF. By analyzing the characteristics of several widely used scoring and classification systems， this article discusses their evolution process and the classification criteria applicable to China， so as to provide a reference for optimizing treatment regimens.
ABSTRACT
Acute－on－chronic liver failure （ACLF） refers to acute liver function decompensation on the basis of chronic liver diseases and is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by organ failure and high short－term mortality. ACLF is reversible and has diverse long－term outcomes and prognoses. The clinical classification of ACLF based on disease characteristics is of great significance for optimizing the management pathways for ACLF. With reference to the definition and clinical features of ACLF in the East and the West， this article redefines ACLF from the new perspective of onset manifestations and dynamic outcomes and proposes a new clinical classification of ACLF. The first classification of ACLF is based on the clinical features of intrahepatic and extrahepatic organ failure at disease onset， i.e.， type Ⅰ ACLF （liver failure on the basis of chronic liver diseases） and type Ⅱ ACLF （acute decompensation on the basis of chronic liver diseases comorbid with multiple organ failure）. The second classification is the dynamic clinical classification of ACLF based on clinical outcome， i.e.， type A （rapid progression）， type B （rapid recovery）， type C （slow progression）， type D （slow recovery）， and type E （slow persistence）. The proposed clinical classification of ACLF from the new perspective expects Eastern and Western scholars to have a more inclusive understanding of ACLF， narrow differences， optimize disease management paths， and rationally use medical resources， thereby providing a reference for clinicians.
ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo explore the hub genes of acute-on-chronic liver failure （ACLF） using bioinformatics methods， predict the potential traditional Chinese medicines （TCMs） against ACLF， and verify the treatment mechanism based on experiments. MethodPerl and R were used to analyze the GSE142255 dataset to obtain the differentially expressed genes （DEGs）， from which the hub genes in the protein-protein interaction of DEGs were identified by five algorithms of the CytoHubba plug-in. The receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve and GSE168048 dataset were then used to verify the hub genes. Coremine Medical was employed to map the TCMs corresponding to the hub genes and then the natures， tastes， and meridian tropism of the TCMs were analyzed. The TCM systems pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and DEGs were used to obtain the common targets shared by high-frequency TCMs and ACLF， and Cytoscape was used to establish the "hub gene-high-frequency TCM-active ingredient-common target" network. Furthermore， gene ontology （GO） annotation， Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis， and in vitro experiments were performed. ResultA total of 388 DEGs were obtained， in which the 7 hub genes encoded CD4 integrin subunit alpha M （ITGAM）， CD2， lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase （LCK） proto-oncogene， C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 （CCL5）， matrix metallopeptidase-9 （MMP-9）， and Fc epsilon receptor IG （FCER1G）. The TCM candidates for treating ACLF were mainly cold， bitter， and had tropism to the liver meridian， among which the high-frequency TCMs （Hedyotis Diffusae Herba， Ganoderma， and Astragali Radix） and the active ingredients （quercetin， kaempferol， and beta-sitosterol） had significant therapeutic potential. The enrichment analysis results showed that TCMs acted on multiple targets and pathways such as autophagy， oxidative stress， and inflammatory cytokines in addition to regulating hub genes. L02 cell experiments showed that the quercetin group had lower levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and malondialdehyde （MDA）， lower protein levels of ubiquitin-binding protein p62 and MMP-9， and higher levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione （GSH）， and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ （LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ） than the D-galactosamine （D-GaLN） group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In addition， the pretreatment with 3-methyladenine （3-MA） inhibited the activating effect of quercetin on the autophagy of L02 cells. ConclusionThe potential TCMs and active ingredients predicted based on the hub genes of ACLF have a great research value. Quercetin has the potential to treat ACLF by inhibiting the D-GaLN-induced oxidative stress and inflammatory response in L02 cells and regulating the expression of MMP-9， which may be associated with the activation of autophagy.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To analyze the impact of baseline quantification of hepatitis B core antibody (qHBcAb) on prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF).Methods:A total of 91 HBV-ACLF patients (HBV-ACLF group), who admitted to Wuxi No.5 People′s Hospital from July 1, 2019 to December 30, 2021, were included in this study. Fifty chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients (CHB group) and 50 chronic HBV carriers (HBV carrier group) were enrolled as controls. Baseline clinical data such as qHBcAb, blood routine examination biochemical, and coagulation indices, HBsAg, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), HBV DNA levels were recorded and analyzed retrospectively. The HBV-ACLF, HBsAg and HBV-DNA data were converted logarithmically. Patients were followed-up for 90 days. Cox regression was used to analyze the correlation between HBV-ACLF and survival outcome; survival rate was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of baseline qHBcAb for the prognosis in patients with HBV-ACLF.Results:The baseline qHBcAb level in HBV-ACLF patients was (4.83±0.42) IU/ml, which was significantly higher than that in the CHB group [(4.59±0.54) IU/ml] and chronic HBV carrier group [(3.86±0.74) IU/ml] (all P<0.05). At the end of 90 days follow-up, 46 patients (50.55%) survived, and 45 patients (49.45%) died in the HBV-ACLF group. The baseline qHBcAb level was significantly higher in the survival group [(4.93±0.22) IU/ml] than in the death group [(4.70±0.52) IU/ml, P<0.01]. Significant differences were also found in the alpha fetoprotein, international normalized ratio, prothrombin activity, antithrombin Ⅲ activity, platelet, end-stage liver disease model score and hepatic encephalopathy complication between the two groups ( P<0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that the baseline qHBcAb was an independent risk factor affecting the 90-day survival of HBV-ACLF patients [hazard ratio=0.027,95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.001-0.696, P<0.05]. The area under the ROC curve of baseline qHBcAb level for predicting the 90-day survival outcome of HBV-ACLF patients was 0.639 (95% CI 0.525-0.752, P<0.05), with a cut-off value of 4.89 IU/ml. The cumulative survival rate of patients with baseline qHBcAb≥4.89 IU/ml was higher than that of patients with baseline qHBcAb<4.89 IU/ml ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Higher baseline qHBcAb level is associated with favorable outcome of HBV-ACLF patients and baseline qHBcAb may be used as a new biomarker to predict the clinical outcome of HBV-ACLF patients. HBV-ACLF patients with serum qHBcAb lower than 4.89 IU/ml face increased risk of short-term death.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio(NLR) and the model for end-stage liver disease-sodium(MELD-Na)score in predicting short-term prognosis of patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure(HBV-ACLF).Methods:A total of 234 consecutive HBV-ACLF patients(194 males and 40 females, aged 23-85 years)admitted to Hangzhou Xixi Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021 were enrolled. According to the 12-week clinical outcomes, patients were divided into good prognosis group( n=141)and poor prognosis group( n=93). Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were performed to identify independent risk factors for poor prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. Receiver operating characteristics(ROC)curve was applied to evaluate the accuracy of risk factors in predicting short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. Results:The age [(48.7±11.9) vs. (52.5±9.9) years old, t=-2.59, P=0.011], proportion of males [78.0%(110/141) vs. 90.3%(84/93), χ2=5.99, P=0.014], total bilirubin[202.9(141.2, 287.6) vs. 320.0(224.4, 400.0) μmol/L, Z=-5.14, P<0.001], creatinine [71.0(59.0, 78.0) vs. 81.0(64.0, 111.0)μmol/L, Z=-3.98, P<0.001], international normalized ratio[1.66(1.52, 1.86) vs. 1.91(1.66, 2.27), Z=-5.46, P<0.001], leukocyte count[5.16(3.99, 6.95)×10 9/L vs. 6.57(4.83, 8.30)×10 9/L, Z=-4.14, P=0.001], NLR[2.77(2.02, 3.55) vs. 5.48(3.44, 8.53), Z=-8.48, P<0.001], MELD score[22.0(20.0, 24.0) vs. 26.0(24.0, 29.0), Z=-9.22, P<0.001], MELD-Na score[22.8(20.0, 25.6) vs. 29.0(25.0, 36.0), Z=-9.16, P<0.001], liver cirrhosis[77.3%(109/141) vs. 88.2%(82/93), χ2=4.41, P=0.036], hepatorenal syndrome[4/141(2.8%) vs. 12/93(12.9%), χ2=8.91, P=0.003] and the proportion of artificial liver treatment[21/141(14.9%) vs. 24/93(25.8%), χ2=4.30, P=0.038] were significantly elevated in poor prognosis group compared with survival group. Logistic regression analysis showed that NLR( OR=3.76, 95 %CI: 2.10-6.74, P<0.001)and MELD-Na score( OR=2.24, 95 %CI: 1.17-4.29, P=0.015) were independent risk factors for poor short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. The area under the ROC curve(AUC)of NLR, and MELD-Na for the short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients was 0.792 and 0.822, respectively. The AUC of the combination of NLR with MELD-Na was 0.858, which was significantly higher than that of NLR( Z=-3.04, P=0.001) or MELD-Na score( Z=-2.16, P=0.031)alone. Based on the cut-off value of the combined model, patients were classified into high combined model score (≥0.04) group and low combined model score (<0.04) group, the survival rate of the high group was significantly higher than that of the low group( χ2=67.47, P<0.001). Conclusions:NLR and MELD-Na score are independent risk factors of the short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. The combination of NLR and MELD-Na score will be beneficial to predict the short-term prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the short-term efficacy of split liver transplantation (SLT) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).Methods:The clinical data of 9 ACLF patients receiving SLT in our center from Mar 2021 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate its safety and efficacy.Results:The preoperative APASL ACLF Research consortium (AARC) score of the 9 ACLF patients was 8 points in 1 case, 9 points in 3 cases, 10 points in 3 cases, 11 points in 1 case and 12 points in 1 case, 7 cases were in AARC-ACLF grade 2, and 2 cases in grade 3.In-situ liver splitting was performed in 9 deceased donors, including 4 classical split cases, 5 full size split cases. Among these 9 ACLF patients, 2 received left half liver transplantation, 3 received right half liver transplantation, and 4 received extended right lobe liver transplantation. After transplantation, all 9 recipients were discharged fully recovered, 1 case developed Clavien grade Ⅳa complication and 2 cases developed Clavien grade Ⅲb complication.After SLT treatment the median postoperative hospital stay was 27 days, the 1-year survival rate was 100%, and the organ survival rate was 88.9%.Conclusion:Split liver transplantation is a safe and feasible treatment method for ACLF patients.
ABSTRACT
Objective To establish a new model of indocyanine green (ICG) clearance test combined with total bilirubin actual resident rate (TBARR) for predicting the short-term prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) treated with artificial liver support system (ALSS) therapy. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 136 patients with HBV-ACLF who underwent ALSS therapy in Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, from June 2017 to July 2021, and according to the prognosis at 3-month follow-up, they were divided into survival group with 92 patients and death group with 44 patients. Related indicators were measured at the time of the confirmed diagnosis of ACLF, including biochemical parameters, coagulation, indocyanine green retention rate at 15 minutes (ICGR 15 ), and effective hepatic blood flow (EHBF), and related indices were calculated, including Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, MELD difference (ΔMELD), Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score, total bilirubin clearance rate (TBCR), total bilirubin rebound rate (TBRR), and TBARR. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to establish a combined predictive model for the prognosis of HBV-ACLF after ALSS therapy. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to compare the accuracy of various models in judging the short-term prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF after ALSS therapy, and the Z test was used for comparison of AUC. Results There were significant differences between the death group and the survival group in MELD score, ΔMELD, CTP score, ICGR 15 , EHBF, TBRR, TBARR, neutrophil count, percentage of neutrophils, lymphocyte count, platelet count, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, prothrombin time activity, prealbumin, fibrinogen, serum sodium, age, and the incidence rate of hepatic encephalopathy (all P 80%. Conclusion The combined predictive model established by ICGR 15 and TBARR has a good value for in predicting the short-term prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF after ALSS therapy, and the combined predictive model has a better accuracy than the single model in judging prognosis.