Acute liver failure (ALF) is characterized by the sudden onset of liver failure in a patient with no evidence of chronic liver disease. This definition is important as it differentiates patients with ALF from patients who suffer from liver failure due to end-stage chronic liver disease (decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure, ACLF). ALF is a rare condition and affects about 2000 persons per year in the USA. It is defined as severe hepatopathy with elevated transaminases twofold the upper limit of normal, liver dysfunction (icterus and coagulopathy with an international normalized ratio (INR) >1.5), and hepatic encephalopathy.
Mechanisms of Acute Liver Failure