The MELD Score Is Superior to the Maddrey Discriminant Function Score to Predict Short-Term Mortality in Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis: A Global Study.

INTRODUCTION: Several scoring systems predict mortality in alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), including the Maddrey discriminant function (mDF) and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score developed in the United States, Glasgow alcoholic hepatitis score in the United Kingdom, and age, bilirubin, international normalized ratio, and creatinine score in Spain. To date, no global studies have examined the utility of these scores, nor has the MELD-sodium been evaluated for outcome prediction in AH. In this study, we assessed the accuracy of different scores to predict short-term mortality in AH and investigated additional factors to improve mortality prediction. METHODS: Patients admitted to hospital with a definite or probable AH were recruited by 85 tertiary centers in 11 countries and across 3 continents. Baseline demographic and laboratory variables were obtained. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality at 28 and 90 days. RESULTS: In total, 3,101 patients were eligible for inclusion. After exclusions (n = 520), 2,581 patients were enrolled (74.4% male, median age 48 years, interquartile range 40.9-55.0 years). The median MELD score was 23.5 (interquartile range 20.5-27.8). Mortality at 28 and 90 days was 20% and 30.9%, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for 28-day mortality ranged from 0.776 for MELD-sodium to 0.701 for mDF, and for 90-day mortality, it ranged from 0.773 for MELD to 0.709 for mDF. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for mDF to predict death was significantly lower than all other scores. Age added to MELD obtained only a small improvement of AUC. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that the mDF score should no longer be used to assess AH's prognosis. The MELD score has the best performance in predicting short-term mortality.

The albumin-bilirubin grade uncovers the prognostic relationship between hepatic reserve and immune dysfunction in HIV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of liver-related mortality in people living with HIV, where co-infection with hepatotropic viruses accelerates the course of chronic liver disease. AIM: To evaluate whether the albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, a more accurate marker of liver dysfunction in HCC, might identify patients with progressive liver dysfunction in the context of HIV/hepatitis co-infection. METHODS: Using uni- and multi-variable analyses, we studied the albumin-bilirubin grade as a predictor of overall survival (OS) in a large, multi-center cohort of patients with HIV-associated HCC recruited from 44 centres in 9 countries within the Liver Cancer in HIV study group. Patients who underwent liver transplantation were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 387 patients, predominantly HCV co-infected (78%) with balanced representation of all Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stages (A = 33%, B = 18%, C = 37%, D = 12%) were recruited. At HCC diagnosis, 84% had been on anti-retrovirals for a median duration of 8.8 years. The albumin-bilirubin grade identified significant differences in median survival of 97 months for grade 1 (95% CI 13-180 months), 17 months for grade 2 (95% CI 11-22 months) and 6 months for grade 3 (95% CI 4-9 months, P < .001). A more advanced albumin-bilirubin grade correlated with lower CD4 counts (464/373/288 cells/mm3 for grades 1/2/3) and higher HIV viraemia (3.337/8.701/61.845 copies/mL for grades 1/2/3, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: In this large, multi-center retrospective study, the albumin-bilirubin grade highlights the interplay between liver reserve and immune dysfunction as prognostic determinants in HIV-associated HCC.

Hyperkalemic distal renal tubular acidosis caused by immunosuppressant treatment with tacrolimus in a liver transplant patient: case report.

Nephrotoxicity is one of the most common side effects of long-term immunosuppressive therapy with calcineurin inhibitors. We describe a case of distal renal tubular acidosis secondary to tacrolimus administration. A 43-year-old man with end-stage liver disease due to hepatitis C and B virus infections and alcoholic cirrhosis received a liver transplantation under immunosuppressive treatment with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil. In the postoperative period, the patient developed hyperkalemic hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis, with a normal serum anion gap and a positive urinary anion gap, suggesting distal renal tubular acidosis. We excluded other causes of hyperkalemia. Administration of intravenous bicarbonate, loop diuretics, and oral resin exchanger corrected the acidosis and potassium levels. Distal renal tubular acidosis is one of several types of nephrotoxicity induced by tacrolimus treatment, resulting from inhibition of potassium secretion in the collecting duct. Treatment to correct the acidosis and hyperkalemia should be promptly initiated, and the tacrolimus dose adjusted when possible.