Acute Liver Failure

Data on liver atrophy detailed by researchers at Keio University

Acute Liver Failure Library Library Home This article was published in Gastroenterology Week, which you can subscribe to online.

"The aim of the present study was to assess the value of liver volumetry and to generate a new prognostic formula. Computed tomography-derived liver volume (CTLV) and standardized liver volume (SLV) of 30 adult ALF patients were calculated at the time of diagnosis. were assigned to one of two groups: group A consisted of 13 patients who recovered without surgical intervention, and group B consisted of 17 patients who died due to liver failure or who underwent living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). The median CTLV/SLV ratios of groups A and B were 1.019 and 0.757, respectively (P = 0.0009). The difference was most significant (P = 0.0002) at the probability cutoff point of 0.80 for CTLV/SLV ratio; the sensitivity and specificity were 76.5% and 92.3%, respectively. Serum total bilirubin (TB) levels and CTLV/SLV ratio were selected as independent prognostic factors by multivariate analysis. A prognostic formula including volumetric analysis was established: Z = -2.3813 - [0.15234 x TB (mg/dl)] + [4.5734 x CTLV/SLV] (AUC = 0.87783, P = 0.0002). The CTLV/SLV ratio is a very useful marker for predicting the prognosis of adult ALF," wrote Y. Yamagishi and colleagues, Keio University.

The researchers concluded: "Our prognostic formula including only the CTLV/SLV ratio and TB is simple and useful and awaits validation in a future larger-scale prospective study."

Yamagishi and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Gastroenterology (A new prognostic formula for adult acute liver failure using computer tomography-derived hepatic volumetric analysis. Journal of Gastroenterology, 2009;44(6):615-623).

For more information, contact H. Saito, Keio University, Division Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Dept. of Internal Medical, School Medical, Shinjuku Ku, 35 Shinanomachi, Tokyo 1608582, Japan.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Gastroenterology is: Springer Tokyo, 1-11-11 Kudan-Kita, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo, 102-0073, Japan.

Keywords: Japan, Tokyo, Acute Liver Failure, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedicine, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Disease, Liver Atrophy, Liver Disease, Liver Failure, Liver Transplant, Living Donors, Neurology, Organ Transplant, Transplantation, Tuberculosis, Keio University.

This article was prepared by Gastroenterology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Gastroenterology Week via NewsRx.com.