Cytokeratin 18-based modification of the MELD score improves prediction of spontaneous survival after acute liver injury.

Background & Aims: Predicting the probability of patients with acute liver failure (ALF) to recover spontaneously is of major clinical importance. As apoptotic and necrotic cell death are crucial in the pathogenesis of ALF, we determined whether selected cell-death markers predict outcome of patients with ALF and/or discriminate between etiologies.

Methods: In a prospective study (11/2006-06/2009), 68 ALF patients were recruited consecutively.