Simple Index Predicts Outcomes in Acute Liver Failure

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a sudden loss of hepatic function in the absence of underlying liver disease and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The King's College criteria (KCC) is the most commonly used prognostic tool in this setting, but its sensitivity and negative predictive value are suboptimal.

Now, investigators from the Acute Liver Failure Study Group (ALFSG) have developed a new predictive model using measurements of two serum markers of cell death previously shown to be predictive of ALF outcomes — the M-30 and M-65 antigens — and clinical and laboratory indicators collected from 250 patients with ALF. They validated the model in an independent cohort of 250 patients with ALF and compared the performance of t…