title: Prognostic indicators in fulminant hepatic failure.
abstract: Because of the inhomogeneous prognosis in fulminant hepatic failure, prognostic criteria are required which help to establish the indication for liver transplantation as a successful therapeutic procedure. In our study of 33 patients with fulminant hepatic failure (94% viral hepatitis, 67% hepatitis B), serum bilirubin > 320 or < 160 mumol/L, serum creatinine > 110 mumol/L, prothrombin time < 15% of the normal value and duration of jaundice until onset of encephalopathy > 7 days indicated a fatal outcome. When criteria described by O'Grady et al. were used, only limited predictability was achieved. This, as well as the frequently contradictory results of the few prognostic studies published so far, is probably due to the regional differences in the etiology and the different clinical courses of fulminant hepatic failure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Medical Center Steglitz of the Free University of Berlin, Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frohburg
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stölzel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Schäfer
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Riecken
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D015996:Survival Rate; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D014508:Urea; D003404:Creatinine; D001663:Bilirubin