No abstract

Development of liver transplantation program provided more than 1000 transplantations and excellent long-term results. Liver failure caused by hepatitis C and B infections remains the most common cause of liver transplantation and structure of other indications is consistent with European data.

The aim of this study was an attempt to determine whether the expression of genes involved in innate antibacterial response (TL R2, NOD 1, TRAF6, HMGB 1 and Hsp70) in peripheral blood leukocytes in critically ill patients, may undergo significant changes depending on the severity of the infection and the degree of malnutrition. The study was performed in a group of 128 patients with infections treated in the intensive care and surgical ward. In 103/80.5% of patients, infections had a severe course (sepsis, severe sepsis, septic shock, mechanical ventilation of the lungs). Clinical monitoring included diagnosis of severe infection (according to the criteria of the ACC P/SCC M), assessment of severity of the patient condition and risk of death (APACHE II and SAPS II), nutritional assessment (NRS 2002 and SGA scales) and the observation of the early results of treatment. Gene expression at the mRNA level was analyzed by real-time PCR. The results of the present study indicate that in critically ill patients treated in the IC U there are significant disturbances in the expression of genes associated with innate antimicrobial immunity, which may have a significant impact on the clinical outcome. The expression of these genes varies depending on the severity of the patient condition, severity of infection and nutritional status. Expression disorders of genes belonging to innate antimicrobial immunity should be diagnosed as early as possible, monitored during the treatment and taken into account during early therapeutic treatment (including early nutrition to support the functions of immune cells).

The APACHE (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) scoring system is time consuming. The mean time for introducing a patient's data to APACHE IV is 37.3 min. Nevertheless, statisticians have known for years that the higher the number of variables the mathematical model describes, the more accurate the model. Because of the necessity of gathering data over a 24-hour period and of determining one cause for ICU admission, the system is troublesome and prone to mistakes. The evolution of the APACHE scoring system is an example of unfulfilled hopes for accurately estimating the risk of death for patients admitted to the ICU; satisfactory prognostic effects resulting from the use of APACHE II and III have been recently studied in patients undergoing liver transplantations. Because no increase in the predictive properties of successive versions has been observed, the search for other solutions continues. The APACHE IV scoring system is helpful; however, its use without prepared spreadsheets is almost impractical. Therefore, although many years have passed since its original publication, APACHE II or its extension APACHE III is currently used in clinical practice.

Acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) requiring intensive medical care and associated with acute kidney injury (AKI) has a mortality rate as high as 90% due to the lack of effective therapies. In this study, we assessed the effects of intermittent high‐flux single‐pass albumin dialysis (SPAD) coupled with continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD) on 28‐day and 90‐day survival and an array of clinical and laboratory parameters in patients with severe ACLF and renal insufficiency. Sixteen patients were studied. The diagnosis of ACLF and AKI was made in accordance with current EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines, including the recommendations of the International Club of Ascites. All patients received SPAD/CVVHD treatments as the blood purification therapy to support liver, kidneys, and other organs. Five patients were transplanted and 11 were not listed for transplantation because of active alcoholism. Data at the initiation of SPAD/CVVHD were compared with early morning data after the termination of the extracorporeal treatment phase. All patients had ACLF and renal insufficiency with 13/16 additionally fulfilling the AKI criteria. A total of 37 SPAD/CVVHD treatments were performed [2.3 ± 1.4]. The baseline MELD‐Na score was 37.6 ± 6.6 and decreased to 33.4 ± 8.7 after SPAD/CVVHD (P < 0.001). In parallel, the CLIF‐C ACLF grade and OF score, estimated at 28‐ and 90‐day mortality, AKI stage, hepatic encephalopathy grade, and liver function tests were lowered (P = 0.001–0.032). The 28‐ and 90‐day survivals were 56.2% overall and 53.8% in AKI. Survival in patients not transplanted (n = 11) was 45.4%. In patients with severe ACLF and AKI, the renal replacement therapy coupled with high‐performance albumin dialysis improved estimated 28‐ and 90‐day survival and several key clinical and laboratory parameters. It is postulated that these results may be further improved with earlier intervention and more SPAD treatments per patient. High‐performance albumin dialysis improves survival and key clinical and laboratory parameters in severe ACLF and AKI.