Acute-on-chronic liver failure: Controversies and consensus

Acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF)is a poorly defined syndrome characterised by rapid clinical deterioration in patients with chronic liver disease.Consequences include high short-term morbidity,mortality,and healthcare resource utilisation.ACLF encompasses a dysregulated,systemic inflammatory response,which can precipitate extra hepatic organ failures.Common precipitants include infection,alcoholic hepatitis,and reactivation of viral hepatitis although frequently no cause is identified.Heterogenous definitions,diagnostic criteria,and treatment guidelines,have been proposed by international hepatology societies.This can result in delayed or missed diagnoses of ACLF,significant variability in clinical management,and under-estimation of disease burden.Liver transplantation may be considered but the mainstay of treatment is organ support,often in the intensive care unit.This review will provide clarity around where are the controversies and consensus in ACLF including:Epidemiology and resource utilisation,key clinical and diagnostic features,strategies for management,and research gaps.

Survival outcomes and predictors of mortality,re-bleeding and complications for acute severe variceal bleeding requiring balloon tamponade

BACKGROUND Acute severe variceal bleeding(AVB)refractory to medical and endoscopic therapy is infrequent but associated with high mortality.Historical cohort studies from 1970-1980s no longer represent the current population as balloon tamponade is no longer first-line therapy for variceal bleeding;treatments including vasoactive therapies,intravenous antibiotics,endoscopic variceal band ligation are routinely used,and there is improved access to definitive treatments including transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts.However,only a few studies from the current era exist to describe the practice of balloon tamponade,its outcomes,and predictors with a requirement for further updated information.AIM To describe current management of AVB requiring balloon tamponade and identify the outcomes and predictors of mortality,re-bleeding and complications.METHODS A retrospective multi-centre cohort study of 80 adult patients across two large tertiary health networks from 2008 to 2019 in Australia who underwent balloon tamponade using a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube(SBT)were included for analysis.Patients were identified using coding for balloon tamponade.The primary outcome of this study was all-cause mortality at 6 wk after the index AVB.Secondary outcomes included re-bleeding during hospitalisation and complications of balloon tamponade.Predictors of these outcomes were determined using univariate and multivariate binomial regression.RESULTS The all-cause mortality rates during admission and at 6-,26-and 52 wk were 48.8%,51.2%and 53.8%,respectively.Primary haemostasis was achieved in 91.3%and re-bleeding during hospitalisation occurred in 34.2%.Independent predictors of 6 wk mortality on multivariate analysis included the Model for Endstage Liver disease(MELD)score(OR 1.21,95%CI 1.06-1.41,P=0.006),advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(OR 11.51,95%CI 1.61-82.20,P=0.015)and re-bleeding(OR 13.06,95%CI 3.06-55.71,P<0.001).There were no relevant predictors of re-bleeding but a large proportion in which this occurred did not survive 6 wk(76.0%vs 24%).Although mucosal trauma was the most common documented complication after SBT insertion(89.5%),serious complications from SBT insertion were uncommon(6.3%)and included 1 patient who died from oesophageal perforation.CONCLUSION In refractory AVB,balloon tamponade salvage therapy is associated with high rates of primary haemostasis with low rates of serious complications.Re-bleeding and mortality however,remain high.