Effect of artificial liver support system on short-term prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure

Hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) is difficult to treat and carries a high risk of short-term mortality. This study aimed to explore the effect of artificial liver support system (ALSS) on the survival of HBV-ACLF patients and to investigate which HBV-ACLF patients may benefit from ALSS treatment. We enrolled 132 patients hospitalized for HBV-ACLF according to the criteria of the Chinese Group on the Study of Severe Hepatitis B-ACLF (COSSH-ACLF) from 425 ACLF patients who were determined to at least meet the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver criteria and followed up for 90 days. Overall 132 eligible patients were divided into two groups: standard medical treatment (SMT) group, which included 54 patients who underwent SMT alone, and ALSS group, which included 78 patients who underwent ALSS treatment plus SMT. The proportion of HBV-ACLF grade 1, 2, and 3 was 57.69%, 37.18%, and 5.13% in the ALSS group and 51.85%, 35.19%, and 12.96% in the SMT group, respectively. Bacterial infection was present in 43.6% of patients in the ALSS group and in 55.6% of patients in the SMT group. The mortality rates in the ALSS group at 28 and 90 days were significantly lower than those in the SMT group (23.08% vs. 48.15% and 33.33% vs. 57.41%, P < 0.05). ALSS was an independent factor related to both the 28- and 90-day survival of HBV-ACLF patients. Particularly, a higher cumulative survival rate in either patients with HBV-ACLF grade 1 or those with HBV-ACLF with bacterial infection was observed in the ALSS group. Moreover, ALSS had an independent influence on mortality. Based on the COSSH-ACLF criteria, ALSS could better improve the short-term survival of HBV-ACLF patients than SMT alone, especially in those with HBV-ACLF grade 1 or HBV-ACLF with infection.