Aplicabilidad del índice de fragilidad hepática en pacientes cirróticos evaluados para trasplante / Applicability of the liver frailty index in cirrhotic patients evaluated for transplantation

Introducción. En las últimas décadas se han desarrollado diferentes scores y modelos para predecir el pronóstico en pacientes con enfermedad hepática crónica avanzada. Los más reconocidos y utilizados son el sistema de estadificación de Child-Pugh (CP) y el score de MELD, pero estos carecen de herramientas para evaluar objetivamente otros factores pronósticos. Por este motivo, se ha incorporado el concepto de fragilidad a la hepatología clínica. El objetivo de este artículo es examinar la aplicabilidad del índice de fragilidad hepática (IFH) en pacientes con cirrosis evaluados para trasplante hepático en Uruguay. Metodología. Estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo en el Servicio de Enfermedades Hepáticas del Hospital Central de las Fuerzas Armadas (HCFFAA) de enero de 2018 a diciembre de 2021. Resultados. Se evaluaron un total de 78 pacientes, excluyéndose 19 de estos, culminando con una muestra final de 59 pacientes. La edad media fue de 52 años, siendo el 66 % hombres. La principal etiología de la cirrosis fue la alcohólica, y la comorbilidad más frecuente fue el sobrepeso/obesidad (66 %). La media de IFH fue de 4,03 ± 0,45. El 90 % de los pacientes eran prefrágiles, el 10 % frágiles y ningún paciente fue clasificado como no frágil. El 76 % presentaba un estadio avanzado de la enfermedad al momento de la evaluación 42 % CP estadio B, 34 % CP C, 24 % CP A, con una media de MELD-Na de 17,8 ± 7,6. El 17 % tuvo complicaciones infecciosas. La mortalidad global (n=78) fue del 12 %, y la de los pacientes con IFH calculado fue del 22 %. Conclusiones. El cálculo del IFH es realizable en cirróticos como herramienta objetiva que brinda una mirada integral del paciente. A mayor severidad de la cirrosis, mayor es el IFH. Sin embargo, este índice no parece ser un predictor de la eventual realización del trasplante hepático, ni de muerte en lista de espera en nuestros pacientes.

Introduction. In recent decades, several scores and models have been proposed to predict prognosis in patients with advanced chronic liver disease. The most recognized and used are the Child-Pugh (CP) and the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores, but they lack tools to objectively evaluate other prognostic factors. For this reason, the concept of fragility has been incorporated into clinical hepatology. The objective of this study was to evaluate the applicability of the liver frailty index (LFI) in patients with cirrhosis evaluated for liver transplantation in Uruguay. Methodology. Observational, descriptive and retrospective study at the Hospital Central de las Fuerzas Armadas (HCFFAA) Liver Disease Service from January 2018 to December 2021. Results. A total of 78 patients were evaluated, 19 were excluded, culminating in a final sample of 59 patients. The mean age was 52 years, with 66% being men. The main etiology of cirrhosis was alcoholic and the most frequent comorbidity was overweight/obesity (66%). The mean LFI was 4.03 ± 0.45. 90% of patients were pre-fragile, 10% were fragile, and no patient was classified as non-fragile. 76% had an advanced stage of the disease at the time of evaluation: 42% CP stage B, 34% CP C, 24% CP A, with a mean MELD-Na of 17.8 ± 7.6. 17% had infectious complications. Overall mortality (n=78) was 12%, and that of patients with calculated LFI was 22%. Conclusions. The LFI can be calculated in cirrhotic patients, and it is an objective tool that provides a comprehensive view of the patient. LFI depends on the severity of the cirrhosis. However, this index is not a predictor of liver transplantation or death on the waiting list in our patients.

Predicting the immediate outcome in patients with acute on chronic liver disease by comparison of CLIF-C ACLF scores and MELD scores

Background: Acute on chronic liver disease is determined by the acute deterioration of liver function over a short period of time. It leads to an increase in morbidity and mortality, hence scores like model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and chronic liver failure-sequential organ failure (CLIF-C ACLF) are identified to determine prognosis. A comparison would help us in determining which score is better for predicting immediate outcomes. Methods: In this single centre study, patients of both genders, >18 years of age, >48 hours hospital stay with organ failure either ?1, defined as, an increase in serum creatinine by 50% or more (1.5-fold from baseline), hepatic encephalopathy (HE) graded III/IV according to West haven criteria, liver failure, bilirubin ?5 mg/dl, international normalized ratio (INR)??1.5 were enrolled after which relevant lab investigations and imaging was done and MELD and CLIF-C ACLF scores were applied, they were compared and analyzed. Results: Among 50 patients, 62% had grade 2, 36% had grade 3 and only 1 had grade 4 HE. Mean MELD score and CLIF- C ACLF scores were significantly high in patients who expired (both p<0.05), and the mean PaO2/FIO2 ratio was considerably low in patients with mortality (p=0.00). Sensitivity and specificity for CLIF-C ACLF score is much higher (90.9% and 100% respectively, with cut off value of 59), compared to the MELD score (77.3% and 60.7% respectively, with cut-off value of 25.50) Conclusions: CLIF-C ACLF score is a better predictor of mortality and for survival in ACLF than the MELD score in changing the outcome of the patient.

Value of hepatic venous pressure gradient in preoperative evaluation and prognosis prediction in liver transplant recipients / 器官移植

Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is the "gold standard" for the diagnosis of portal hypertension, which could be applied in the evaluation of liver cirrhosis. Combined use of HVPG with model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scoring system may more accurately match the donors and recipients undergoing liver transplantation for liver cirrhosis, select the appropriate timing of surgery, and provide guidance for bridging treatment for patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation. Besides, HVPG may also predict clinical prognosis of liver transplant recipients, and provide evidence for early detection and intervention of potential complications. Therefore, the value of HVPG in preoperative evaluation and prognosis prediction of liver transplant recipients was reviewed, aiming to provide guidance for clinical diagnosis and treatment of liver transplant recipients before and after surgery.

Application of different prognostic scores in liver transplantation decision-making for acute-on-chronic liver failure / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To compare the impact of different prognostic scores in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in order to provide treatment guidance for liver transplantation. Methods: The information on inpatients with ACLF admitted at Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2015 to October 2022 was collected retrospectively. ACLF patients were divided into liver transplantation and non-liver transplantation groups, and the two groups prognostic conditions were followed-up. Propensity score matching was carried out between the two groups on the basis of liver disease (non-cirrhosis, compensated cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis), the model for end-stage liver disease incorporating serum sodium (MELD-Na), and ACLF classification as matching factors. The prognostic condition of the two groups after matching was compared. The difference in 1-year survival rate between the two groups was analyzed under different ACLF grades and MELD-Na scores. The independent sample t-test or rank sum test was used for inter-group comparison, and the χ (2) test was used for the comparison of count data between groups. Results: In total, 865 ACLF inpatients were collected over the study period. Of these, 291 had liver transplantation and 574 did not. The overall survival rates at 28, 90, and 360 days were 78%, 66%, and 62%, respectively. There were 270 cases of matched ACLF post-liver transplantation and 270 cases without ACLF, in accordance with a ratio of 1:1. At 28, 90, and 360 days, patients with non-liver transplantation had significantly lower survival rates (68%, 53%, and 49%) than patients with liver transplantation (87%, 87%, and 78%, respectively; P < 0.001). Patients were classified into four groups according to the ACLF classification criteria. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the survival rates of liver transplantation and non-liver transplantation patients in ACLF grade 0 were 77.2% and 69.4%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.168). The survival rate with an ACLF 1-3 grade was significantly higher in liver transplantation patients than that of non-liver transplantation patients (P < 0.05). Patients with ACLF grades 1, 2, and 3 had higher 1-year survival rates compared to non-liver transplant patients by 50.6%, 43.6%, and 61.7%, respectively. Patients were divided into four groups according to the MELD-Na score. Among the patients with a MELD-Na score of < 25, the 1-year survival rates for liver transplantation and non-liver transplantation were 78.2% and 74.0%, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.149). However, among patients with MELD-Na scores of 25-30, 30-35, and≥35, the survival rate was significantly higher in liver transplantation than that of non-liver transplantation, and the 1-year survival rate increased by 36.4%, 54.9%, and 62.5%, respectively (P < 0.001). Further analysis of the prognosis of patients with different ACLF grades and MELD-Na scores showed that ACLF grades 0 or 1 and MELD-Na score of < 30 had no statistically significant difference in the 1-year survival rate between liver transplantation and non-liver transplantation (P > 0.05), but in patients with MELD-Na score≥30, the 1-year survival rate of liver transplantation was higher than that of non-liver transplantation patients (P < 0.05). In the ACLF grade 0 and MELD-Na score of≥30 group, the 1-year survival rates of liver transplantation and non-liver transplantation patients were 77.8% and 25.0% respectively (P < 0.05); while in the ACLF grade 1 and MELD-Na score of≥30 group, the 1-year survival rates of liver transplantation and non-liver transplantation patients were 100% and 20.0%, respectively (P < 0.01). Among patients with ACLF grade 2, the 1-year survival rate with MELD-Na score of < 25 in patients with liver transplantation was 73.9% and 61.6%, respectively, and the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05); while in the liver transplantation patients group with MELD-Na score of ≥25, the 1-year survival rate was 79.5%, 80.8%, and 75%, respectively, which was significantly higher than that of non-liver transplantation patients (36.6%, 27.6%, 15.0%) (P < 0.001). Among patients with ACLF grade 3, regardless of the MELD-Na score, the 1-year survival rate was significantly higher in liver transplantation patients than that of non-liver transplantation patients (P < 0.01). Additionally, among patients with non-liver transplantation with an ACLF grade 0~1 and a MELD-Na score of < 30 at admission, 99.4% survived 1 year and still had an ACLF grade 0-1 at discharge, while 70% of deaths progressed to ACLF grade 2-3. Conclusion: Both the MELD-Na score and the EASL-CLIF C ACLF classification are capable of guiding liver transplantation; however, no single model possesses a consistent and precise prediction ability. Therefore, the combined application of the two models is necessary for comprehensive and dynamic evaluation, but the clinical application is relatively complex. A simplified prognostic model and a risk assessment model will be required in the future to improve patient prognosis as well as the effectiveness and efficiency of liver transplantation.

Analysis of influencing factors on biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation / 临床肝胆病杂志

Objective To analyze the serological markers and surgical indicators associated with biliary complications after orthotopic liver transplantation, explore their influencing factors and predictive indicators. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 101 patients who underwent orthotopic liver transplantation in Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2016 to June 2022, according to the presence or absence of biliary complication (BC) at 6 months after surgery, they were divided into BC group with 21 patients and non-BC group with 80 patients.The t -test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups.Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive performance of combined indicators. Results Among the 101 patients, 21(20.8%) experienced BC.The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that MELD score (odds ratio[ OR ]=0.134, 95% confidence interval[ CI ]: 0.031-0.590, P =0.008), SⅡ/Alb ( OR =1.415, 95% CI : 1.181-1.696, P =0.001), and plasma transfusion volume ( OR =1.001, 95% CI : 1.000-1.002, P =0.032) were independent risk factors for the development of BC in patients after liver transplantation.MELD score, SⅡ/Alb, plasma transfusion volume, MELD+SⅡ/Alb, and MELD+SⅡ/Alb+plasma transfusion volume had an area under the ROC curve of 0.712, 0.870, 0.712, 0.900, and 0.918, respectively, in predicting BC after liver transplantation. Conclusion SⅡ/Alb, plasma transfusion volume and MELD score are independent risk fators for BC after liver transplantation.The combination of three indicators has good predictive value and clinical guiding significance for BC after liver transplantation.

Value of MELD 3.0， MELD， and MELD-Na scores in assessing the short-term prognosis of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure： A comparative study / 临床肝胆病杂志

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.

Dysnatremia in patients with chronic liver disease: a cross-sectional observational study

Background: The clinical significance of serum sodium levels and its association with a higher rate of complications in cirrhosis is debatable. This study was done to study the serum sodium levels in chronic liver disease (CLD) patients and establish its association with the severity of disease in such patients.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included adult patients diagnosed with CLD and assessed their serum electrolytes. The severity of liver disease was assessed using Child Pugh score (CPS) and model for end stage liver disease (MELD). Those with serum sodium levels less than 130 mEq/lwere classified as group A, 131 to 135 mEq/las normal group B and greater or equal to 136 mEq/las Group C.Results:In the present study, hepatic encephalopathy (p<0.01), hepatorenal syndrome (p<0.01) and coagulopathy (p<0.01) were found to occur significantly more common among patients from Group A, as compared to those in patients from group B or C. Mean MELD, CPS score and mortality was significantly higher among group A patients.Conclusions: Patients with lower serum salt levels had a substantially higher MELD score and CPS. Low blood sodium levels were linked to more severe liver disease, greater complications, and increased death. As a result, we urge that serum salt levels be checked on a frequent basis in patients with chronic liver disease.

Predictive values of ALBI and EZ-ALBI scores for early survival of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To evaluate the predictive values of albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) and easy albumin-bilirubin (EZ-ALBI) scores for early survival (postoperative 3 months) of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 137 recipients diagnosed with liver failure and underwent liver transplantation were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cut-off values of preoperative ALBI, EZ-ALBI and MELD scores to predict early survival of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation were determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The risk factors of early death of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation were identified by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. The effects of different ALBI and EZ-ALBI levels upon early prognosis of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation were analyzed. Results The optimal cut-off values of ALBI, EZ-ALBI and MELD scores were 0.21, -19.83 and 24.36, and the AUC was 0.706, 0.697 and 0.686, respectively. Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that preoperative alanine aminotransferase(ALT)≥50 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase(AST)≥60 U/L, ALBI score≥0.21 and EZ-ALBI score≥-19.83 were the risk factors for early postoperative death of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation (all P < 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that preoperative ALBI score≥0.21 was an independent risk factor for early postoperative death of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation (P < 0.05). According to the optimal cut-off value of ALBI score, the early survival rates in the ALBI < 0.21 (n=46) and ALBI≥0.21(n=91) groups were 93.5% and 64.8%, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). According to the optimal cut-off value of EZ-ALBI score, the early survival rates in the EZ-ALBI < -19.83(n=60) and EZ-ALBI≥-19.83(n=77) groups were 88.3% and 63.6%, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusions Preoperative ALBI score is of high predictive value for early survival of recipients with liver failure after liver transplantation, which could be utilized as a reference parameter for selecting liver transplant recipients.

Liver transplantation for acute-on-chronic liver failure / 器官移植

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a specific category of liver failure, which is mainly characterized by rapid progression and multiple organ failure. At present, patients with ACLF are mainly given with systematic and comprehensive medical therapy to promote liver regeneration. However, liver transplantation is the only potentially curative treatment for patients who failed to respond to medical treatment and rapidly progress into multiple organ failure. Considering the differences of disease progression and clinical prognosis, and the shortage of donor liver in China, it is necessary to actively prevent the triggering factors of ACLF in patients with chronic liver diseases, screen out the recipients who are most likely to benefit from liver transplantation and deliver precision management during perioperative period of liver transplantation. In this article, the application of liver transplantation in ACLF was illustrated from the perspectives of accurate evaluation of ACLF, proper control of liver transplantation indications and meticulous perioperative management, aiming to optimize the therapeutic strategy of liver transplantation in patients with ACLF.

Research progress on liver transplantation for drug-induced liver injury / 器官移植

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a type of necrotizing and inflammatory liver disease caused by certain commonly-used drugs, Chinese herbal medicines or dietary supplements. In severe cases, it may lead to acute liver failure. Without liver transplantation, the fatality could reach up to 80%. It is of significance to master the indications of liver transplantation. Several prognostic scoring systems have been developed to help clinicians to decide which patients need urgent liver transplantation, such as King's College criteria (KCC) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scoring systems. However, these scoring methods have been developed for a long period of time and lack of modifications. Therefore, scholars have proposed several new scoring systems, such as acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) scoring systems, which provide novel ideas for the evaluation of liver transplantation. As an important treatment measure for drug-induced acute liver failure, urgent liver transplantation has greatly improved the survival rate of patients. In this article, the classification, clinical diagnosis, liver transplantation evaluation and prognosis of DILI were summarized, aiming to provide reference for the treatment of DILI by liver transplantation.

Predictive value of the initial MELD score and its derivative scores for early survival rate after liver transplantation in patients with liver failure / 器官移植

Objective To explore the predictive values of the initial model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, MELD combined with serum sodium (MELD-Na) score and MELD combined with serum lactic acid (MELD-Lac) score for early survival rate after liver transplantation in patients with liver failure. Methods Clinical data of 135 recipients undergoing liver transplantation for liver failure were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were divided into the early survival group (n=110) and early death group (n=25) according to the survival at postoperative 28 d. Clinical data were compared between two groups. The optimal cut-off values of MELD, MELD-Na and MELD-Lac scores for predicting early survival rate after liver transplantation in patients with liver failure were determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The predictive values of different scores for early survival rate after liver transplantation in patients with liver failure were evaluated. Results Significant differences were observed in the initial MELD, MELD-Na and MELD-Lac scores after liver transplantation between two groups (all P < 0.05). For the initial MELD, MELD-Na and MELD-Lac scores in predicting early survival rate after liver transplantation in patients with liver failure, the AUC were 0.653 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.515-0.792], 0.648 (95%CI 0.514-0.781) and 0.809 (95%CI 0.718-0.900), the optimal cut-off values were 18.09, 18.09 and 19.97, Youden's indexes were 0.398, 0.380 and 0.525, the sensitivity was 0.680, 0.680 and 0.840, and the specificity was 0.720, 0.700 and 0.690, respectively. The AUC of MELD-Lac score was higher than those of MELD and MELD-Na scores, and the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.05). Conclusions Compared with the initial MELD and MELD-Na scores after liver transplantation, the initial MELD-Lac score is a more reliable index for predicting early survival rate after liver transplantation in patients with liver failure.

Clinical Value of Serum Calcium Level Combined With Choline Esterase and MELD-Na Score in Evaluation of Prognosis of Patients With Decompensated Cirrhosis / 胃肠病学

Background: Decompensated liver cirrhosis is a common disease in department of gastroenterology, and the prognosis is poor. There are many liver cirrhosis-related scoring models, but all have certain limitations. Aims: To explore the clinical value of serum calcium level combined choline esterase, MELD-Na score for predicting prognosis in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Methods: A total of 169 patients with decompensated cirrhosis from Jan. 2017 to Dec. 2020 at the Quzhou Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were enrolled. Serum calcium level, choline esterase, creatinine, international normalized ratio (INR), prothrombin time, total bilirubin (TBIL) and serum sodium level were detected, and MELD score and MELD-Na score were calculated. ROC curve was used to analyze the value of parameters in evaluating prognosis of patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Results: After 6 months' follow-up, 125 patients survived and 44 died. TBIL, creatinine, INR, prothrombin time, MELD score, MELD-Na score were significantly lower in survival group than in death group (P<0.05), while serum albumin, sodium, calcium, choline esterase levels were significantly higher (P<0.05). ROC curve showed that AUC of serum calcium level, choline esterase, MELD score and MELD-Na score for predicting prognosis of patients with decompensated cirrhosis were 0.824, 0.783, 0.781 and 0.839, respectively. AUC of serum calcium level combined with choline esterase and MELD-Na score was 0.897. Conclusions: The combination of serum calcium level, choline esterase and MELD-Na score has a higher predictive value for the 6-months prognosis of decompensated cirrhosis patients.

Effects of therapeutic plasma exchange on liver function test and coagulation parameters in acute liver failure patients

ABSTRACT Background: Currently the treatment of choice for critical liver failure is liver transplantation. Liver failure is treated conservatively until a matching liver donor becomes available. The therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) plays an important role as a bridge to transplantation by removing accumulated toxins from patient plasma, as well as restoring the coagulation profile. Method: This was a retrospective study on critically ill liver disease patients who underwent TPE from January 2012 to September 2015. The data were collected for the analyses of coagulation parameters, liver function tests, renal function tests, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores, mortality, and hospital stay. Results: In the study duration, a total of 45 patients with critical liver disease underwent therapeutic plasma exchange. The TPE resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the bilirubin level, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), prothrombin time (PT), international normalized ratio (INR), serum ferritin level and MELD scores. Higher MELD scores in both pre- and post-TPE were associated with higher mortality during the hospital stay. Conclusion: The TPE is safe and well-tolerated, and it improves coagulation profile and liver function tests in critically ill liver disease patients, but the overall survival remains low.

Correlation Study of Coagulation Profile in Spectrum of Liver Diseases.

Liver plays a central role in the maintenance of haemostasis. Impairment of liver parenchymal cell function disturbs haemostasis resulting in the development of multiple coagulation abnormalities. We wanted to study the coagulation profile and haemostatic dysfunction in liver disease patients so as to prevent bleeding related complications and evaluate the relationship between bleeding tendencies and coagulation profile abnormalities in such patients.METHODSThis was a cross sectional study conducted in the Department of Pathology, JNMC, A.V.B.R.H, Sawangi, Wardha, from August, 2017 to July 2019 among 102 patients of liver diseases. PT, D-dimer, and platelet count were assessed in different liver diseases. Data was entered in MS Excel spreadsheet and analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTSA total of 102 patients were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 40.07 ± 15.21 years. 69.61% patients were males. Fever with abdominal distension was the most common complaint. Mean with SD of Child Pugh score was 8.31±2.3 and Mean with SD of MELD score was 13.1±8.24. For predicting cirrhosis and other chronic liver disorders, out of all coagulation parameters, D-Dimer showed the best diagnostic accuracy.CONCLUSIONSPresent study showed an overall good diagnostic power of coagulation parameters in assessing different liver diseases and also showed that D-dimer may be regarded as a stable and good predictor for chronic liver diseases.

A new non-invasive liver disease model to judge the prognosis of patients with acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to cirrhosis / 中国医师杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the accuracy of the new non-invasive liver disease model platelet-albumin-bilirubin index (PALBI) in the diagnosis of patients with acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage (AUGIB) due to cirrhosis.@*Methods@#277 patients with AUGIB due to cirrhosis were analyzed retrospectively. The data of platelet, total bilirubin, albumin, creatinine, international standardized ratio and etiology of cirrhosis were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors for death in patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB. Analysis of variance was used to compare the differences between the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) and PALBI grades. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the association between MELD and PALBI. The operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to compare the predictive power of both for short-term and long-term mortality in patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB.@*Results@#The short-term and long-term mortality rates of patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB were 13.7% and 23.5%, respectively. The average hospital stay was (9.1±3.9)days. The high MELD score and high PALBI index were confirmed as independent risk factors of death by single factor and multiple factors [odds ratio (OR)=1.17, 4.43; P<0.05]; the Pearson correlation analysis showed there was a positive correlation between MELD score and PALBI index (r=0.735, P<0.05). The PALBI score was scored in MELD-a patients, further subdivided into PALBI-1a and PALBI-1b. There were statistical difference in the 1-year mortality rate between the two groups (7.0% vs 17.8%, χ2=4.033, P<0.05). The ROC curve was used to compare the predictive power of MELD and PALBI for short-term mortality. The area under curve (AUC) of PALBI was 0.767 (95% CI: 0.712-0.815), while the AUC of the MELD score was 0.651 (95% CI: 0.591-0.707), with statistically significant difference (Z=2.328, P<0.05). The predictive power of PALBI and MELD for long-term mortality were 0.731(95% CI: 0.674-0.782), 0.754 (95% CI: 0.699-0.804), but the difference was not statistically significant (Z=0.828, P>0.05).@*Conclusions@#PALBI has a better predictive effect on patients with cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB than MELD scores. PALBI can achieve a more precise prognosis classification for patients with MELD-a, and maintain a good prediction ability on the short-term (within 30 days of hospitalization and discharge) and long-term (within 1 year after discharge) mortality of patients. As a new liver disease model, PALBI can be used as an effective non-invasive means to judge the prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis complicated by AUGIB .

Clinical progress of diagnostic and evaluation criteria for liver transplantation in patients with severe liver disease / 器官移植

Liver transplantation, although recognized as the only effective radical treatment for severe liver disease, might be accompanied by high surgical risks, high perioperative mortality and high postoperative complications. Considering the shortage of donor liver and related surgical risks, it is necessary to strictly control the indication of operation and the opportunity of transplantation. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and comprehensive evaluation of the condition of patients with severe liver disease to be treated by liver transplantation is an important part in determining the treatment plan. At present, there are many evaluation criteria for severe liver disease. In addition to the classic ChildTurcotte-Pugh (CTP) score and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, many other evaluation criteria have also been developed. All transplant centers have their own choices and thus there is no uniform diagnostic criterion, with disputes among various criteria, which is exactly what this paper aims to summarize.

Risk factor analysis and predictors assessment for postoperative delirium in liver transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To analyze the risk factors and predictors related to postoperative delirium(POD) in liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 232 liver transplant recipients were retrospectively analyzed. Recipients were assigned to POD group (n=60) and non-POD (n=172) group according to the presence of POD. The intra- and post-operative conditions were compared between the two groups of liver transplant recipients. The risk factors for occurrence of POD in liver transplant recipients were analyzed using multifactorial analysis. And the value of predicting the occurrence of POD in liver transplant recipients according to the risk factors were assessed. Results The incidence of POD in liver transplant recipients was 25.9%. The operation time and anhepatic phase in the POD group were longer than those in the non-POD group. Intraoperative infusion of erythrocyte, infusion of cryoprecipitate, and lactic acid level were higher than those in the non-POD group (all P < 0.05). The levels of postoperative alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), prothrombin time international normalized ratio (PT-INR), and plasma fibrinogen in the POD group were significantly higher than those in the non-POD group (all P < 0.05). Preoperative hepatic encephalopathy, elevated blood ammonia, high score of model for end-stage liver disease (MELD), elevated postoperative AST level and long intraoperative anhepatic phase were the independent risk factors for POD in liver transplant recipients (all P < 0.05). Preoperative elevated blood ammonia and high MELD score showed profound value in predicting the occurrence of POD in liver transplant recipients, with best cut-off values of 42.6 μmol/L and 18 points, sensitivity of 0.650 and 0.767 as well as specificity of 0.826 and 0.727, respectively. Conclusions The incidence of POD is high in liver transplant recipients. Preoperative hepatic encephalopathy, elevated blood ammonia, high MELD score, elevated postoperative AST level, and long intraoperative anhepatic phase are independent risk factors for liver transplant POD. Preoperative elevated blood ammonia and high MELD score are predictors of POD in transplant recipients.

Difference of clinical efficacy between surgical magnifying glass and surgical microscope assisted hepatic artery reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To compare the difference of clinical efficacy between surgical magnifying glass and surgical microscope assisted hepatic artery reconstruction in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Methods Clinical data of 272 donors and recipients undergoing LDLT were retrospectively analyzed. According to different patterns of hepatic artery reconstruction, all recipients were divided into the magnifying glass group (n=189) and microscope group (n=83). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, hepatic artery reconstruction site, diameter of anastomosis, incidence of postoperative complications and survival rate of recipients were statistically compared between two groups. Results Compared with the microscope group, the operation time, hepatic artery reconstruction time and intraoperative blood loss were significantly less in the magnifying glass group (all P < 0.001). The most common site of hepatic artery reconstruction was the right hepatic artery in two groups, and the diameter of anastomosis was (2.1±0.9) mm in the magnifying glass group and (2.1±0.8) mm in the microscope group, with no statistical significance between two groups (P > 0.05). The 1-, 2- and 3-year survival rates of recipients in the magnifying glass group were 88%, 86% and 85%, which did not significantly differ from 89%, 87% and 86% in the microscope group (all P > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications did not significantly differ between two groups (all P > 0.05). Conclusions The efficacy and safety of hepatic artery reconstruction in LDLT under surgical magnifying glass are equivalent to those under surgical microscope, with less operation workload and intraoperative blood loss. For experienced transplantation surgeons, it is recommended to perform hepatic artery reconstruction assisted by surgical magnifying glass.

Analysis of early prognosis and risk factors of donor liver with moderate-to-severe steatosis in adult liver transplantation / 器官移植

Objective To explore the early prognosis and the risk factors of delayed graft function (DGF) of the recipients undergoing liver transplantation from donor liver with moderate-to-severe steatosis. Methods Clinical data of 475 donors and 475 recipients undergoing liver transplantation from donor liver of organ donation after citizen's death were retrospectively analyzed. According to the classification criteria of steatosis proposed by Australia National Liver Transplantation Unit (ANLTU), all recipients were divided into the S0 group (no steatosis, n=308), S1 group (mild steatosis, n=97), S2 group (moderate steatosis, n=52) and S3 group (severe steatosis, n=18), respectively. The early postoperative death and incidence of postoperative complications were statistically compared among each group. The risk factors from donors, recipients and operation leading to DGF were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Results The incidence of postoperative DGF in the S2 and S3 groups was significantly higher than that in the S1 and S0 groups (all P < 0.05). The incidence of postoperative DGF in the S3 group was remarkably higher than that in the S2 group (P < 0.05). The early postoperative fatality, the incidence of primary nonfunction (PNF) of the transplant liver, postoperative bleeding, infection, biliary complications and vascular complications did not significantly differ among each group (all P > 0.05). Univariate regression analysis showed that severe steatosis of donor liver, long cold ischemia time, high model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and tumors of the recipients before operation were the risk factors of DGF (all P < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that moderate-to-severe steatosis of donor liver, cold ischemia time > 8 h and MELD score > 30 of the recipients were the independent risk factors for early postoperative DGF. Conclusions The early-stage incidence of DGF after adult liver transplantation from donor liver with moderate-to-severe steatosis is high, whereas it does not affect the early survival rate of the recipients. The selection of donor liver with moderate-to-severe steatosis should be considered in combination with cold ischemia time of the donors and MELD score of the recipients before operation, etc.

Diastolic dysfunction in patients with liver cirrhosis: A short-term, observational study at a Malaysian hospital

@#Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy is a recognised complication of liver cirrhosis and predicts poor outcomes. Detection of diastolic dysfunction, an early indicator of left ventricular dysfunction can help identify those patients at risk of disease progression. In our study we showed that there was a high prevalence of diastolic dysfunction amongst patients with liver cirrhosis at our outpatient clinic, with the majority being Child-Pugh A/low MELD score. Multiple regression analysis indicated that age and sodium levels were significantly associated with the presence of diastolic dysfunction. This further reinforces the importance of dietary sodium restriction amongst patients with liver cirrhosis.