title: [Acute on chronic liver failure].
abstract: Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (ACLF) is a recently introduced term defined as severe acute deterioration of an established liver disease. This entity usually develops after an acute insult. The main clinical manifestations are hepatorenal syndrome, hepatic encephalopathy and organ failure, with a high risk of death in the short term. The true incidence of ACLF remains difficult to determine due to confusions surrounding the definition of this entity, but seems to be 40% at 5 years in patients with advanced cirrhosis, which translates into 4,000 cases in Europe within this time span. The treatment of choice is liver transplantation. However, due to the shortage of suitable organs and morbidity and mortality in these patients, other options must be used.
authors.affiliation: UCI-Institut de Malalties Digestives i Metabòliques, Hospital Clínic, IDIBAPS, Universitat de Barcelona, CIBERehd, Barcelona, España. aescor@clinic.ub.es
authors.forename: Angels
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Escorsell Mañosa
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mas Ordeig
mesh_terms: D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D003956:Dialysis; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology; D006530:Hepatorenal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors