Population-representative Incidence of Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a major cause of hepatic death in the world, but no population-based studies have evaluated the incidence of ACLF. This study was conducted to determine the incidence and short-term outcomes of ACLF in a region of Eastern China.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, we collected data from public hospitals in Nantong city between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2014.