Characteristics and Discrepancies in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: Need for a Unified Definition

• Published in: PLoS ONE 2016, Vol.11 (1)
• Main Authors: Kim, Tae Yeob, Song, Do Seon, Kim, Hee Yeon, Sinn, Dong Hyun, Yoon, Eileen L, Kim, Chang Wook, Jung, Young Kul, Suk, Ki Tae, Lee, Sang Soo, Lee, Chang Hyeong, Kim, Tae Hun, Kim, Jeong Han, Choe, Won Hyeok, Yim, Hyung Joon, Kim, Sung Eun, Baik, Soon Koo, Lee, Byung Seok, Jang, Jae Young, Suh, Jeong Ill, Kim, Hyoung Su, Nam, Seong Woo, Kwon, Hyeok Choon, Kim, Young Seok, Kim, Sang Gyune, Chae, Hee Bok, Yang, Jin Mo, Sohn, Joo Hyun, Lee, Heon Ju, Park, Seung Ha, Han, Byung Hoon, Choi, Eun Hee, Kim, Chang H, Kim, Dong Joon
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Health aspects; Liver failure; Mortality; Patient outcomes; South Korea
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0146745

Background & Aim To investigate the prevalence, mortalities, and patient characteristics of Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) according to the AARC (Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver ACLF Research Consortium) and European Association for the Study of the Liver CLIF-C (Chronic Liver Failure Consortium) definitions. Methods We collected retrospective data for 1470 hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease (CLD) and acute deterioration between January 2013 and December 2013 from 21 university hospitals in Korea. Results Of the patients assessed, the prevalence of ACLF based on the AARC and CLIF-C definitions was 9.5% and 18.6%, respectively. The 28-day and 90-day mortality rates were higher in patients with ACLF than in those without ACLF. Patients who only met the CLIF-C definition had significantly lower 28-day and 90-day survival rates than those who only met the AARC definition (68.0% vs. 93.9%, P