The AARC-ACLF score is easy to use, dynamic and reliable, and superior to the existing prediction models. It can reliably predict the need for interventions, such as liver transplant, within the first week.

Background Patients with acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) have coagulation failure in the setting of systemic inflammatory syndrome (SIRS), sepsis and extra‐hepatic organ failures. Methods Consecutive ACLF patients without sepsis at baseline were assessed at days 0, 3 and 7 with thromboelastography (TEG) and specific assays (Factor VIII, von Willebrand factor [vWF], protein C and antithrombin III [ATIII]) and followed for development of sepsis, bleeding and outcome. Results Of 243 patients, 114 (63% ethanol related; mean age 44.3 ± 11.7 years; 90% male) were recruited. SIRS was noted in 39 (34.2%), 45 (39.5%) and 46 (40%) patients at days 0, 3 and 7 and sepsis in 28 (24%) and 52 (56.1%) patients at days 3 and 7 respectively. The 28‐ and 90‐day survivals were 62% and 51% respectively. A hypocoagulable TEG at baseline was a predictor of bleeding (hazard ratio [HR] 2.1; CI 1.6‐4.9; P = 0.050) and mortality (HR 1.9; CI 1.3‐7.9; P = 0.043). ACLF patients had increased Factor VIII, vWF, tissue factor levels and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) activity with reduced protein C and ATIII. Coagulation parameters like Coagulation Index (HR 2.1; CI 1.1‐4.5; P = 0.044),clot lysis (HR 3.2; CI 1.9‐3.4; P = 0.033), low protein C < 30% (HR 2.1; CI 1.5‐2.8; P = 0.017), ATIII (HR 1.4; CI 1.7‐3.1; P = 0.052) and tPA (HR 1.5; CI 1.1‐2.4; P = 0.052) were predictors of mortality at day 28. Protein C activity <30% (HR 1.3; CI 1.0‐2.9; P = 0.042) and tPA >20 ng/mL (HR 1.2; CI 1.1‐2.1; P = 0.040) predicted mortality when adjusted for age, gender and baseline MELD. Conclusions Dynamic coagulation derangements, measured by TEG, determine the likelihood of bleeding and mortality in ACLF.

Acute insults from viruses, infections, or alcohol are established causes of decompensation leading to acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Information regarding drugs as triggers of ACLF is lacking. We examined data regarding drugs producing ACLF and analyzed clinical features, laboratory characteristics, outcome, and predictors of mortality in patients with drug-induced ACLF. METHODS: We identified drugs as precipitants of ACLF among prospective cohort of patients with ACLF from the Asian Pacific Association of Study of Liver (APASL) ACLF Research Consortium (AARC) database. Drugs were considered precipitants after exclusion of known causes together with a temporal association between exposure and decompensation. Outcome was defined as death from decompensation. RESULTS: Of the 3,132 patients with ACLF, drugs were implicated as a cause in 329 (10.5%, mean age 47 years, 65% men) and other nondrug causes in 2,803 (89.5%) (group B). Complementary and alternative medications (71.7%) were the commonest insult, followed by combination antituberculosis therapy drugs (27.3%). Alcoholic liver disease (28.6%), cryptogenic liver disease (25.5%), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) (16.7%) were common causes of underlying liver diseases. Patients with druginduced ACLF had jaundice (100%), ascites (88%), encephalopathy (46.5%), high Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) (30.2), and Child-Turcotte-Pugh score (12.1). The overall 90-day mortality was higher in drug-induced (46.5%) than in non-drug-induced ACLF (38.8%) (P 5 0.007). The Cox regression model identified arterial lactate (P < 0.001) and total bilirubin (P 5 0.008) as predictors of mortality.

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