Supporting Hours : Monday to Saturday - 8am to 10pm
New Visit

Acute Liver Failure

 Syn. ALF , Acute Hepatic Failure , Fulminant hepatic failure

Signs & Symptoms

 Severe Acute
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Intravascular volume depletion
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Difficulty sleeping
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Subtle mental status changes
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]

Physical Examination

 Severe Acute
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Jaundice #initial_diagnosis
Note: may be absent early in the course of acetaminophen poisoning or herpes simplex virus infection
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis] Cecil [ 456]
Depression
Ref: Epocrates [ https://online.epocrates.com/diseases/101033/Acute-liver-failure/History-Exam] Epocrates [ online.epocrates.com/diseases/101033/Acute-liver-failure/History-Exam]

Lab / Serology

 Prolonged prothrombin time
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Low platelet count
Note: ≤150,000 , Features of preeclampsia
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Caused by Acute renal failure
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]

Imagin Study

 Hepatomegaly
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Ascites
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Seizure
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]

Complication

 Complication Cerebral herniation
Note: due to Cerebral edema
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Hepatorenal Syndrome
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]

Risk Factors

 Use of multiple acetaminophen
Ref: Epocrates [ https://online.epocrates.com/diseases/101031/Acute-liver-failure/Diagnostic-Approach]
Pregnant
Ref: Epocrates [ https://online.epocrates.com/diseases/101032/Acute-liver-failure/Risk-Factors]
Alcohol
Ref: Epocrates [ https://online.epocrates.com/diseases/101023/Acute-liver-failure/Epidemiology]

Cause

 Caused by Acute renal failure
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]
Caused by drug induced liver injury
Ref: Harrison [ 2366]
Caused by herpes simplex virus
Ref: Uptodate [ Acute liver failure in adults: Etiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis]

Other