Liver disease specialists from different countries agree on a definition of acute-on-chronic liver failure

Liver disease specialists from different countries have agreed on a definition of acute-on-chronic liver failure, ua.news reports, citing STAT News ua.newsua.newsua.newsOpen source ↗. It is a common and potentially fatal complication in people who already have liver disease.

The condition occurs when a person with existing liver disease worsens because of an acute injury. It is not simply a prolonged course of the disease but its sudden exacerbation against the background of an already existing pathology. In the United States, an example would be cirrhosis that developed over a long period and then suddenly worsened due to alcohol or a viral infection.

Previously, the condition was defined differently depending on the region where patients were located. This made it harder to distinguish acute-on-chronic liver failure from acute liver failure. Unlike the former, acute liver failure develops rapidly and occurs without prior liver disease. The source does not specify which criteria were included in the agreed definition.