Chronic liver disease is a mounting problem worldwide, and one that is greatly compounded when combined with other precipitating events (eg, alcohol-related or viral hepatitis, drug-induced liver injury), which is termed acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Although ACLF has been described only relatively recently, it represents a significant contributor to mortality.
The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) convened a team of experts with the goal of helping clinicians recognize and appropriately manage ACLF. This resulted in practice guidelines recently published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
To find out more about best practices surrounding ACLF, Medscape contributor Nancy S. Reau, MD, chief of the hepatology section at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, spoke with the guidelines' lead author, Dr Jasmohan S. Bajaj, MD, MS, a professor of medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Virginia Commonwealth University and Richmond VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia.
Addressing an Unmet Need for ACLF Education
Why was it important to offer guidelines for ACLF?
We believe the time was prime to move the needle forward and raise awareness, among not only hepatologists and intensive care unit (ICU) specialists but also the general gastrointestinal audience who may or may not deal with cirrhosisor will be dealing with chronic liver disease in the future.
