The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) set up a working party on acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) in 2004, with a mandate to develop consensus guidelines on various aspects of ACLF relevant to disease patterns and clinical practice in the Asia-Pacific region. Experts predominantly from the Asia-Pacific region constituted this working party and were requested to identify different issues of ACLF and develop the consensus guidelines. A 2-day meeting of the working party was held on January 22-23, 2008, at New Delhi, India, to discuss and finalize the consensus statements. Only those statements that were unanimously approved by the experts were accepted. These statements were circulated to all the experts and subsequently presented at the Annual Conference of the APASL at Seoul, Korea, in March 2008. The consensus statements along with relevant background information are presented in this review.

EHPVO and cirrhosis are the two major causes of PHT in children. However, predominant cause of variceal bleeding is EHPVO. EST is an effective method of treatment in EHPVO.

Background and aims Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is associated with a high mortality rate in the absence of liver transplantation. There is limited data on predictors of survival in ACLF in children. Therefore, we prospectively studied the predictors of outcome of ACLF in children. Methods A prospective evaluation of 31 children in the age group of 1-16 years who fulfilled the criteria for ACLF according to Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) 2008 consensus was done. All consecutive children were evaluated for etiology, diagnosis and severity of ACLF. For grading of organ dysfunction, the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score was calculated. SOFA constitutes the parameters of respiration, coagulation, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, and renal and liver functions. We evaluated possible correlation between outcomes and different variables. Results Of the 31 children who fulfilled the criteria for ACLF, the common underlying chronic liver diseases (CLD) were autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in 41.9% and Wilson disease in 41.9% of the patients. Superinfection with hepatitis A virus (HAV) (41.9%) was the most common etiology of acute deterioration. To find the best predictor for outcome, linear regression analysis was performed. Multivariate analysis revealed that the SOFA score and the International Normalized Ratio (INR) were predictors of survival. Six (19.4%) patients died. Causes of death were multiorgan failure in four and liver failure in two patients. Conclusion The mortality in ACLF is 19.4% and the causes of death were multiorgan failure and liver failure. The SOFA score and INR were predictors of outcome of ACLF in children.

From August 1997 to January 2000, 172 children (< or = 14 years) with acute viral hepatitis were studied. Their clinical features, investigations and outcome were noted. Viral markers (IgM anti-HAV, IgM anti-HEV, HBsAg and anti-HCV) were measured by ELISA using commercial kits. The mean age of these children was 5.6 +/- 2.9 (range, 4 months to 14 years) with a male to female ratio of 120:52. Prodromal symptoms were present in 161 (94 per cent) and icteric hepatitis was diagnosed in 168 (98 per cent) cases. Splenomegaly was noted in 53 (31 per cent), ascites in 52 (30 per cent) and encephalopathy (ALF) in 56 (32.6 per cent) cases. Sixteen (31 per cent) children with ascites had spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). Fifteen (27 per cent) children with encephalopathy died. Viral markers were positive in 166 (96.5 per cent) and they were: A in 111 (64.5 per cent), E in 28 (16.3 per cent), B in 13 (7.6 per cent), A + E in 12 (7 per cent), A + E + C and A + C in one each. Mortality in acute liver failure was more when associated with SBP (100 per cent) than without (20 per cent) (p < 0.001). We conclude that HEV is the second most common cause of sporadic acute viral hepatitis in children. Atypical presentations, such as splenomegaly, ascites, and SBP were present in virtually one-third of cases. In cases of ALF, the presence of ascites and SBP depicts a worse outcome.

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