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A new prediction model revealed that hepatitis B DNA, international normalized ratio and older age correlated with an increased risk for the development of acute-on-chronic liver failure in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic HBV.
“During the natural course of chronic HBV infection, most patients will experience hepatitis flares with various degrees of liver injury,” researchers from the department of infectious disease, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical Center, Guizhou, China, wrote. “Patients with [acute exacerbation] of chronic HBV infection are at risk of further deterioration and progression to hepatic decompensation and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).”
“Although all patients in our study had started antiviral therapy after admission, baseline HBV DNA level was found to be one of only three independent risk factors,” the researchers wrote. “Our results provide further evidence to support the hypothesis that baseline HBV DNA level plays an important role in determining progression in [acute exacerbation] patients despite early antiviral treatment.”