The Kidney and Extracorporeal Therapies in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure: What the Nephrologist Needs to Know.

Abstract

In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology and management of acute kidney injury (AKI) in the setting of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). ACLF is characterised by the occurrence of acute hepatic and/or extrahepatic organ failure, induced by immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation in patients with chronic liver disease. Kidney involvement is common, with AKI occurring in 30% to > 95% of ACLF patients, depending on the definition used. Since there is a lack of kidney biopsy data in these patients, the underlying pathophysiological basis of AKI remains incompletely understood, and systemic inflammation is believed to be the primary driver of organ injury. The management of AKI has been largely extrapolated from studies in decompensated cirrhosis, and there is little data specifically in the ACLF setting. However, available evidence suggests that structural kidney injury is more common in ACLF than in decompensated CLD, and therefore, AKI in ACLF is less likely to respond to volume repletion and vasopressors. Treatment options remain limited for those who are non-responsive to intravenous fluids and vasopressors. Liver transplantation (LT), with or without kidney transplantation, is the definitive treatment for these patients. At present, extracorporeal therapies such as therapeutic plasma exchange and kidney replacement therapies play a supportive role in ACLF as a bridge to LT; however, the optimal timing and dosing remain unclear. While theoretically, extracorporeal therapies have the potential to reverse or halt progression of organ damage in ACLF, there is limited evidence currently.