Definitions of Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure: The Past, the Present, and the Future

Abstract

Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is an entity used to define patients with liver cirrhosis presenting with acute decompensation. For over 20 years, ACLF has taken multiple definitions and/or classifications. Unfortunately, to date, there has not been a universally accepted definition/classification of this entity. In this short review, we discuss the definition evolution of ACLF, the strengths and weaknesses of the existing definitions and classifications, and finally the potential role of the ‘omic’ approaches for the diagnosis of this complex syndrome.

Keywords

• Acute-on-chronic liver disease
• chronic liver disease
• Cirrhosis
• classification
• definition
• Metabolomics