Acute－on－chronic liver failure： Features and prognosis of a new clinical classification system based on onset manifestations / 临床肝胆病杂志

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.

Recognition of the clinical classification of acute－on－chronic liver failure： Redefinition from a new perspective of onset manifestations and dynamic outcomes / 临床肝胆病杂志

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.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of chronic hepatitis C complicated by fatty liver / 中国基层医药

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) complicated by fatty liver.Methods:The clinical data of 258 patients with chronic hepatitis C who received treatment in The First People's Hospital of Huzhou from March 2017 to March 2021 were included in this study. They were divided into simple CHC group and CHC complicated by fatty liver group according to whether they had fatty liver. General data, liver function, coagulation function and blood lipid indexes were compared between the two groups.Results:Among 258 patients with CHC infection, 81 cases had fatty liver, accounting for 31.40%; 177 cases did not have fatty liver, accounting for 69.14%. There were no significant differences in age, sex, and history of smoking and alcohol use between the two groups (both P > 0.05). Body mass index (BMI) differed significantly between the two groups ( χ2 = 29.81, P < 0.001). BMI in the CHC complicated by fatty liver group was slightly higher than that in the simple CHC group. There were no significant differences in history of hypertension and coronary heart disease between the two groups (both P > 0.05). There were significant differences in the presence of hypertriglyceridemia and the increase of low-density lipoprotein between the two groups ( χ2 = 8.53, 6.99, P = 0.004, 0.008). There were no significant differences in the presence of hypercholesterolemia and the reduction of high-density lipoprotein (both P > 0.05). There were no significant differences in liver function indexes such as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase between the two groups (both P > 0.05). The level of γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GGT) was significantly different between the two groups ( t =-8.71, P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in activated partial thromboplastin time between the two groups ( P > 0.05). There were significant differences in prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) between the two groups [PT: (10.10 ± 0.67) seconds vs. (11.99 ± 1.33) seconds; INR: 0.91 ± 0.07 vs. 0.98 ± 0.11; t = 9.74, 4.46, both P < 0.001]. There were no significant differences in fasting blood glucose and blood uric acid levels between the two groups (both P > 0.05). Fasting insulin (FINS) differed significantly between CHC complicated by fatty liver and simple CHC groups [(16.82 ± 1.15) mlU/L vs. (12.52 ± 1.06) mlU/L, t = -24.33, P < 0.001]. The general data and clinical data were compared between the two groups. BMI, hypertriglyceridemia, high- and low-density lipoprotein, γ-GGT, PT, INR and FINS differed significantly between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression results showed that BMI ≥ 24 kg/m 2, hypertriglyceridemia, γ-GGT, PT, INR and FINS were independent risk factors for CHC complicated by fatty liver ( P = 0.017, 0.003, 0.021, 0.034, 0.004, 0.001). After 6 months of treatment, CHC RNA negative conversion rate in the simple CHC group was significantly higher than that in the CHC complicated by fatty liver group ( χ2 = 7.32, P = 0.010). Conclusion:The related risk factors of CHC complicated by fatty liver include BMI, hypertriglyceridemia, elevated low-density lipoprotein, γ-GGT, PT, INR and FINS, among which, BMI, hypertriglyceridemia, γ-GGT, PT, INR and FINS are independent risk factors. In addition, CHC complicated by fatty liver may affect the efficacy of antiviral therapy.

Prognostic grade of acute-on-chronic liver failure: Different outcomes of the same disease / 临床肝胆病杂志

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a complex clinical syndrome characterized by acute liver function decompensation on the basis of chronic liver diseases, with organ failure and a high short-term mortality rate. The course of ACLF varies across patients, and the disease is reversible. Patients tend to have diverse long-term outcomes, and clinicians should evaluate the prognosis of patients as early as possible to optimize treatment regimen and improve survival rate. This article describes the following five grades of the long-term prognosis of patients with ACLF for the first time: grade Ⅰ is the ideal outcome of no cirrhosis; grade Ⅱ is the satisfactory outcome of compensated liver cirrhosis manifesting as reversible liver cirrhosis or persistent compensated liver cirrhosis; grade Ⅲ is the acceptable outcome of decompensated liver cirrhosis manifesting as decompensated liver cirrhosis or chronic liver failure; grade Ⅳ is the outcome of survival after transplantation; grade Ⅴ is the outcome of death. This article aims to provide a reference for judging long-term clinical prognosis.

A study of management on preoperative stoma site marking / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To cultivate specialist nurses to perform preoperative stoma site marking in patients to receive enterostomy and improve the rate of preoperative stoma site marking and the ability of preoperative stoma site marking in specialist nurses. Methods The rate of preoperative stoma site marking in 148 patients from July 2016 to October 2016 was investigated and the reason of not receiving preoperative stoma site marking was analyzed. Nineteen primary nurses were trained to perform preoperative stoma site marking instead of the traditional pattern which was performed by enterostomy therapist and physician. The training included the criteria of preoperative stoma site marking, difficult preoperative stoma site marking, demonstration, group exercises, theoretical and operational assessment. The preoperative stoma site marking of 156 patients were performed by specialist nurses from November 2016 to February 2017.Then,the rate of preoperative stoma site marking,accuracy of stoma location,and knowledge of preoperative stoma site marking were compared between the traditional and new management pattern. Results The preoperative stoma site marking rate was 91.89%(136/148)and the accuracy rate was 94.12%(127/136)in traditional management pattern.The lack of enterostomy therapist, surgery performed on weekends and emergency surgery were the reasons that preoperative stoma site marking was not performed.After changing the management pattern,the preoperative stoma site marking rate was increased to 98.72%(154/156) and there was a significant difference between them (χ2=8.06, P <0.05).The accuracy of localization was decreased to 92.86%(143/154),but there was no significant difference between them(χ2=0.03,P>0.05).The rate of acquiring preoperative stoma site marking knowledge in nurses was increased from 8/19 to 18/19 with a significant difference(χ2=12.18,P<0.01). Conclusions The pattern of preoperative stoma site marking was changed and the new pattern improved the rate of preoperative stoma site marking,and didn′t affect the accuracy of preoperative stoma site marking.Meanwhile,we also improved the nurses′level of preoperative stoma site marking in our department.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) after glucocorticoid therapy / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

Objective@#To evaluate the prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) after glucocorticoid therapy.@*Methods@#Thirty-six patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) were treated with glucocorticoid therapy, of whom 23 patients in the survival group and the other in the deceased group (n=13). The changes of white blood cells, neutrophils, lymphocytes, NLR, total bilirubin (TBil), prothrombin activity (PTA), international normalized ratio (INR) were observed before, during and after treatment, and the relationship between NLR and prognosis was analyzed.@*Results@#NLR after glucocorticoid treatment, the survival group 3.95±2.65, the deceased group 12.79±10.66, there was significant difference between the two groups (P<0.001). According to univariate and multivariate logisitic regression analysis, NLR ratio was one of the independent factor in ACLF. ROC curve showed the AUC of NLR in patients with ACLF 0.868(95%CI: 0.743-0.993). After glucocorticoid treatment, the survival rate of NLR<3.315 patients with acute liver failure was high.@*Conclusions@#NLR is one of the important indexes for evaluating the prognosis of ACLF patients with ACLF due to glucocorticoid therapy.