RESUMO
Background: Commonly used prognostic scores for acute on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) have complex calculations. We tried to compare the simple counting of numbers and types of organ dysfunction to these scores, to predict mortality in ACLF patients. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, ACLF patients diagnosed on the basis of Asia Pacific Association for Study of the Liver (APASL) definition were included. Severity scores were calculated. Prognostic factors for outcome were analysed. A new score, the Number of Organ Dysfunctions in Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure (NOD-ACLF) score was developed. Results: Among 80 ACLF patients, 74 (92.5%) were male, and 6 were female (7.5%). The mean age was 41.0±10.7 (18-70) years. Profile of acute insult was; alcohol 48 (60%), sepsis 30 (37.5%), variceal bleeding 22 (27.5%), viral 8 (10%), and drug-induced 3 (3.8%). Profiles of chronic insults were alcohol 61 (76.3%), viral 20 (25%), autoimmune 3 (3.8%), and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis 2 (2.5%). Thirty-eight (47.5%) were discharged, and 42 (52.5%) expired. The mean number of organ dysfunction (NOD-ACLF score) was ->4.5, simple organ failure count (SOFC) score was >2.5, APASL ACLF Research Consortium score was >11.5, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease-Lactate (MELD-LA) score was >21.5, and presence of cardiovascular and respiratory dysfunctions were significantly associated with mortality. NOD-ACLF and SOFC scores had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic to predict mortality among all these. Conclusion: The NOD-ACLF score is easy to calculate bedside and is a good predictor of mortality in ACLF patients performing similar or better to other scores.
RESUMO
Ground -level health care workers provide us a unique perspective of immunization programs. While our official data may be too rosy to be true, a casual / unscheduled /anonymous conversation with such foot- soldiers may bring us face -to- face with reality through another angle If we want our programs to be robust having a wide coverage, Mantra of success lies not only in making good policy while sitting in ivory -towers but also in folding our sleeves up, sweating under the tropical hot Sun, going to hinterlands and initiating a dialogue with those humble low- level workers who sometimes are invisible to us otherwise, not listened to and with whom sometimes promises are not kept. Promised amount for achieving some target may be small for us but for them that may not necessarily be true. Let's just enter their shoes for a while and try to observe the situation from their point -of- view. In our siloed system of administration when everyone has knowledge of his/ her territory, let us share our wisdom and field -experience. As an expert in one field may not be having much knowledge about another one.