Decompensated chronic liver disease: A review of current concepts and management guidelines

Abstract

Decompensated chronic liver disease is the 14th leading cause of mortality in adults. It includes many aetiologies, some of which are treatable and preventable, whereas others are not. It is a progressive disease, resulting in various manifestations such as portal hypertension, hepatorenal syndrome, portopulmonary hypertension, ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), variceal bleeding and cardiomyopathy, which unless treated, result in end-stage liver failure requiring liver transplantation as treatment. In the present article, we review its aetiopathogenesis, clinical features and the current guidelines recommended for its treatment from a high volume tertiary care centre in India.

Keywords

• ascites
• chronic liver disease
• decompensations
• portal hypertension
• variceal haemorrhage