Prevalence, severity, duration and resolution of cholestasis after acute liver failure. Issue 1 (26th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Warming, Scott; Michel, Claire; Serpa Neto, Ary; Kishore, Kartik; Marhoon, Nada; Holmes, Natasha; Bellomo, Rinaldo; Testro, Adam; Sinclair, Marie; Gow, Paul; Warrillow, Stephen
• Is Part Of: BMJ open gastroenterology. Volume 9:Issue 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-04-26
• Subjects: acute liver failure -- cholestasis -- bilirubin -- alkaline phosphatase; Gastroenterology -- Periodicals; 616.33005
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjgast-2021-000801
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2054-4774

Abstract

Abstract : Objective: Persistent cholestasis may follow acute liver failure (ALF), but its course remains unknown. We aimed to describe the prevalence, onset, severity, duration and resolution of post-ALF cholestasis. Design: Cohort of 127 adult patients with ALF at a liver transplantation centre identified using electronic databases. We obtained laboratory data every 6 hours for the first week, daily until day 30 and weekly, when documented, until day 180. Results: Median age was 40.7 (IQR 31.0–52.4) years, median peak alanine aminotransferase level was 5494 (2521–8819) U/L and 87 (68.5%) cases had paracetamol toxicity. Overall, 12.6% underwent transplantation (3.4% for paracetamol vs 32.5% for non-paracetamol; p<0.001). Ninety-day mortality was 20.7% for paracetamol versus 30.0% for non-paracetamol patients. All non-transplanted survivors reached a bilirubin level>50 µmol/L, which peaked 3.5 (1.0–10.1) days after admission at 169.0 (80.0–302.0) µmol/L. At hospital discharge, 18.8% of patients had normal bilirubin levels and, at a median follow-up time from admission to last measurement of 16 (10-30) days, 46.9% had normal levels. Similarly, there was an increase in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (207.0 (148.0–292.5) U/L) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) (336.0 (209.5–554.5) U/L) peaking at 4.5 days, with normalised values in 40.3% and 8.3% at hospital discharge. Conclusion: Post-ALF cholestasis is ubiquitous. Bilirubin, ALP and GGT peak at 3 to 5 days and, return to baseline in the minority of patients at median follow-up of 16 days. These data inform clinical expectations of the natural course of this condition.