Differences in Provider Hepatitis C Virus Screening Recommendations by Patient Risk Status.

Providers' recommendation is among the strongest predictors to patients engaging in preventive care. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare providers' Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) screening recommendation quality between high-risk and average-risk patients to determine if providers are universally recommending HCV screening, regardless of risk behaviors. This cross-sectional survey of 284 Indiana providers in 2020 assessed provider characteristics, HCV screening recommendation practices (strength, presentation, frequency, timeliness), self-efficacy, and barriers to recommending HCV screening. T-test and Chi-square compared recommendation practices for high-risk and average-risk patients. Prevalence ratios were calculated for variables associated with HCV recommendation strength comparing high-risk and average-risk patients. Logistic regression analyses examined factors associated with HCV recommendation strength for high- and average-risk patients, with odds ratios. Compared to average-risk patients, high-risk patients received higher proportion of HCV recommendations that were strong (70.4 % v. 42.4 %), routine (61.9 % v. 55.6 %), frequent (37.7 % v. 28 %), and timely (74.2 % v. 54.9 %) (P-values < 0.001). Compared to average-risk patients, providers with high-risk patients had a lower percentage of giving a strong recommendation if they were nurse practitioner (PR = 0.49). For high-risk patients, providers with higher self-efficacy (aOR = 2.16;95 %CI = 0.99-4.69) had higher odds, while those with higher perceived barriers (aOR = 0.19;95 %CI = 0.09-0.39) and those with an internal medicine specialty compared to family medicine (aOR = 0.22;95 %CI = 0.08-0.57) had lower odds of giving a strong recommendation. These data suggest providers are not universally recommending HCV screening for all adults regardless of reported risk. Future research should translate these findings into multilevel interventions to improve HCV screening recommendations regardless of patient risk status.

Hospital frailty risk score is superior to legacy comorbidity indices for risk adjustment of in-hospital cirrhosis cases.

Background & Aims: The hospital frailty risk score (HFRS) identifies older patients at risk of poor outcomes and may have value in cirrhosis. We compared the Charlson (CCI), Elixhauser (ECI), and cirrhosis (CirCom) comorbidity indices with the HFRS in predicting outcomes for cirrhosis hospitalisations. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (quarter 4 of 2015-2019), we analysed cirrhosis hospitalisations. For each index, we described the prevalence of comorbid conditions and inpatient mortality. We compared the ability of CCI, ECI, CirCom, and HFRS to predict inpatient mortality. Raw and adjusted models predicting inpatient mortality were compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and the Akaike information criterion. Results: The cohort's (N = 626,553) median age was 61 years (IQR 52-68 years), 60% were male, cirrhosis was caused by alcohol in 43%, and 38% had ascites. The median comorbidity scores are as follows: ECI 4 (IQR 3-6), CCI 5 (IQR 4-8), and HFRS 5.6 (IQR 3.0-8.6). The most common CirCom score was 0 + 0 (44%). Across the range of values of each index, we observed different mortality ranges: CCI 1.9-13.1%, ECI 3.2-8.7%, CirCom 4.9-13.8%, and HFRS 1.0-15.2%. An adjusted model with HFRS had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve in predicting mortality (HFRS 0.782 vs. ECI 0.689, CCI 0.695, and CirCom 0.692). We observed substantial variation in mortality with HFRS within each level of CCI, ECI, and CirCom. For example, for ECI 4, mortality increased from 0.6 to 16.4%, as HFRS increased from 0 to 15. Conclusions: Comorbidity indices predict inpatient cirrhosis mortality, but HFRS performs better than CCI, ECI, and CirCom. HFRS is an ideal tool for measuring comorbidity burden and disease severity risk adjustment in cirrhosis-related administrative database studies. Impact and Implications: We compared commonly used comorbidity indices to a more recently described risk score (hospital frailty risk score [HFRS]) in patients with cirrhosis using a national sample of hospital records. Comorbid conditions are common in hospitalised patients with cirrhosis. There is significant variability in mortality across the range of each index. HFRS outperforms the Charlson comorbidity index, Elixhauser comorbidity index, and CirCom (cirrhosis-specific comorbidity scoring system) in predicting inpatient mortality. HFRS is a valuable index for risk adjustment in inpatient administrative database studies.

Thirty-Day Readmissions Are Largely Not Preventable in Patients With Cirrhosis.

INTRODUCTION: Hospital readmissions are common in patients with cirrhosis, but there are few studies describing readmission preventability. We aimed to describe the incidence, causes, and risk factors for preventable readmission in this population. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study of patients with cirrhosis hospitalized at a single center between June 2014 and March 2020 and followed up for 30 days postdischarge. Demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic data, functional status, and quality of life were collected. Readmission preventability was independently and systematically adjudicated by 3 reviewers. Multinomial logistic regression was used to compare those with (i) preventable readmission, (ii) nonpreventable readmission/death, and (iii) no readmission. RESULTS: Of 654 patients, 246 (38%) were readmitted, and 29 (12%) were preventable readmissions. Reviewers agreed on preventability for 70% of readmissions. Twenty-two (including 2 with preventable readmission) died. The most common reasons for readmission were hepatic encephalopathy (22%), gastrointestinal bleeding (13%), acute kidney injury (13%), and ascites (6%), and these reasons were similar between preventable and nonpreventable readmissions. Preventable readmission was often related to paracentesis timeliness, diuretic adjustment monitoring, and hepatic encephalopathy treatment. Compared with nonreadmitted patients, preventable readmission was independently associated with racial and ethnic minoritized individuals (odds ratio [OR] 5.80; 95% CI, 1.96-17.13), nonmarried marital status (OR 2.88; 95% CI, 1.18-7.05), and admission in the prior 30 days (OR 3.45; 95% CI, 1.48-8.04). DISCUSSION: For patients with cirrhosis, readmission is common, but most are not preventable. Preventable readmissions are often related to ascites and hepatic encephalopathy and are associated with racial and ethnic minorities, nonmarried status, and prior admissions.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of hospitalized patients with moderate alcohol-associated hepatitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Little is known about the clinical characteristics and prognosis of hospitalized patients with moderate alcohol-associated hepatitis (mAH) as compared to severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (sAH). Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical characteristics and risk factors associated with mortality in hospitalized mAH patients. METHODS: Patients hospitalized with alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2020 at a large US healthcare system [11 hospitals, one liver transplant centre] were retrospectively analysed for outcomes. Primary outcome was 90-day mortality. AH and mAH were defined according to NIAAA Alcoholic Hepatitis Consortia and Model for End-stage Liver Disease Score ≤ 20 respectively. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors associated with 90-day mortality. RESULTS: 1504 AH patients were hospitalized during the study period, of whom 39% (n = 590) had mAH. Compared to sAH patients, mAH patients were older (50 vs. 48 years, p < 0.001) and less likely to have underlying cirrhosis (74% vs. 83%, p < 0.001). There were no differences between the two groups for median alcohol intake g/day (mAH 140.0 vs. sAH 112.0, p = 0.071). The cumulative proportion surviving at 90 days was 88% in mAH versus 62% in sAH (p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, older age [HR 1.03 (95% CI 1.00-1.06), p = 0.020], corticosteroid use [HR 1.80 (95% CI 1.06-3.06), p = 0.030] and acute kidney injury (AKI) [HR 2.43 (95% CI 1.33-4.47), p = 0.004] were independently associated with 90-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: mAH carries a 12% mortality rate at 90 days. Age, AKI and corticosteroid use were associated with an increased risk for 90-day mortality. Avoidance of corticosteroids and strategies to reduce the risk of AKI could improve outcomes in mAH patients.

Incidence, clinical characteristics, and risk factors associated with recurrent alcohol-associated hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol relapse occurs frequently in alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH) survivors, but data on the frequency and course of recurrent alcohol-associated hepatitis (rAH) are sparse. We investigated the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of rAH. METHODS: Hospitalized patients with AH from 2010 to 2020 at a large health care system were followed until death/liver transplant, last follow-up, or end of study (December 31, 2021). AH was defined by NIAAA Alcoholic Hepatitis Consortium criteria; rAH was defined a priori as a discrete AH episode >6 months from index AH hospitalization with interim >50% improvement or normalization of total bilirubin. Multivariable competing risk analysis was performed to identify factors associated with rAH. Landmark Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to compare survival between patients who did versus those who did not develop rAH. RESULTS: Of 1504 hospitalized patients with AH, 1317 (87.6%) survived and were analyzed. During a 3055 person-year follow-up, 116 (8.8%) developed rAH at an annual incidence rate of 3.8% (95% CI: 2.8-4.8). On multivariable competing risk analysis, marital status [sub-HR 0.54 (95% CI: 0.34, 0.92), p=0.01] and medications for alcohol use disorder [sub-HR 0.56 (95% CI: 0.34, 0.91), p=0.02] were associated with a lower risk for rAH. On landmark Kaplan-Meier analysis, the cumulative proportion surviving at 1 year (75% vs. 90%) and 3 years (50% vs. 78%) was significantly lower in patients who developed rAH compared to those who did not develop rAH (log-rank p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: rAH develops in ~1 in 10 AH survivors and is associated with lower long-term survival. Medications for alcohol use disorder lower the risk for rAH and, therefore, could be a key preventative strategy to improve outcomes.

Trends in Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Receipt of Lifesaving Procedures for Hospitalized Patients With Decompensated Cirrhosis in the US, 2009-2018.

Importance: Patients with decompensated cirrhosis are hospitalized for acute management with temporizing and lifesaving procedures. Published data to inform intervention development in this area are more than a decade old, and it is not clear whether there have been improvements in disparities in the receipt of these procedures over time. Objective: To evaluate the associations of race and ethnicity with receipt of procedures to treat decompensated cirrhosis over time in the US. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed National Inpatient Sample data on cirrhosis admissions among patients with portal hypertension-related complications from 2009 to 2018. All hospital discharges for individuals aged 18 years and older from 2009 to 2018 were assessed for inclusion. Admissions were included if they contained at least 1 cirrhosis-related International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) or International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) code and at least 1 cirrhosis-related complication ICD-9-CM or ICD-10-CM code (ie, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, variceal hemorrhage [VH], and hepatorenal syndrome [HRS]). Data were analyzed from January to June 2022. Exposure: Hospitalization for decompensated cirrhosis. Main Outcomes and Measures: The outcomes of interest were trends in the odds ratios (ORs) for receiving procedures (upper endoscopy, transjugular portosystemic shunt [TIPS], hemodialysis, and liver transplantation [LT]) for decompensated cirrhosis and mortality by race and ethnicity, modeled over time. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess these outcomes. Results: Among 717 580 admissions (median [IQR] age, 58 [52-67] years), 345 644 patients (9.8%) were Black, 623 991 patients (17.6%) were Hispanic, and 2 340 031 patients (47.4%) were White. Based on the modeled trends, by 2018, there were no significant differences by race or ethnicity in the odds of receiving upper endoscopy for VH. However, Black patients remained less likely than White patients to undergo TIPS for VH (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.47-0.62) and ascites (OR, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.31-0.38). The disparity in receipt of LT improved for Black and Hispanic patients over the study period; however, by 2018, both groups remained less likely to undergo LT than their White counterparts (Black: OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.61-0.70; Hispanic: OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.70-0.78). The odds of death in Black and Hispanic patients declined over the study period but remained higher in Black patients than White patients in 2018 (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05-1.11). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study of individuals hospitalized with decompensated cirrhosis, there were racial and ethnic disparities in receipt of complex lifesaving procedures and in mortality that persisted over time.

PROMIS Profile-29 is a valid instrument with distinct advantages over legacy instruments for measuring the quality of life in chronic liver disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is increasingly used to measure health-related quality of life, yet, it has not been well-studied in chronic liver disease (CLD). This study compares PROMIS Profile-29 to Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire (CLDQ) in patients with CLD. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In all, 204 adult outpatients with CLD completed PROMIS-29, CLDQ, SF-36 and usability questionnaires. Mean scores were compared between groups, the correlation between domain scores was assessed, and floor/ceiling effects were calculated. Etiologies of CLD were NAFLD (44%), hepatitis C (16%), and alcohol (16%). Fifty-three percent had cirrhosis and 33% were Child-Pugh B/C with a mean model for end-stage liver disease score of 12.0. In all 3 tools, the poorest scores were in physical function and fatigue. The presence of cirrhosis or complications was associated with worse scores in most PROMIS Profile-29 domains, indicating known group validity. Strong correlations ( r ≥ 0.7) were present between Profile-29 and SF-36 or CLDQ domains measuring similar concepts, indicating strong convergent validity. Profile-29 was completed faster than SF-36 and CLDQ (5.4 ± 3.0, 6.7 ± 3.3, 6.5 ± 5.2 min, p = 0.003) and rated equally on usability. All CLDQ and SF-36 domains reached the floor or ceiling, while none were noted for Profile-29. These floor/ceiling effects were magnified when assessed in those with and without cirrhosis, indicating the improved depth of measurement by Profile-29. CONCLUSIONS: Profile-29 is a valid, more efficient, well-received tool that provides an improved depth of measurement when compared to SF-36 and CLDQ and, therefore, an ideal tool to measure general health-related quality of life in CLD.

Longer time to recovery from acute kidney injury is associated with major adverse kidney events in patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: In patients with cirrhosis and acute kidney injury (AKI), longer time to AKI-recovery may increase the risk of subsequent major-adverse-kidney-events (MAKE). AIMS: To examine the association between timing of AKI-recovery and risk of MAKE in patients with cirrhosis. METHODS: Hospitalised patients with cirrhosis and AKI (n = 5937) in a nationwide database were assessed for time to AKI-recovery and followed for 180-days. Timing of AKI-recovery (return of serum creatinine <0.3 mg/dL of baseline) from AKI-onset was grouped by Acute-Disease-Quality-Initiative Renal Recovery consensus: 0-2, 3-7, and >7-days. Primary outcome was MAKE at 90-180-days. MAKE is an accepted clinical endpoint in AKI and defined as the composite outcome of ≥25% decline in estimated-glomerular-filtration-rate (eGFR) compared with baseline with the development of de-novo chronic-kidney-disease (CKD) stage ≥3 or CKD progression (≥50% reduction in eGFR compared with baseline) or new haemodialysis or death. Landmark competing-risk multivariable analysis was performed to determine the independent association between timing of AKI-recovery and risk of MAKE. RESULTS: 4655 (75%) achieved AKI-recovery: 0-2 (60%), 3-7 (31%), and >7-days (9%). Cumulative-incidence of MAKE was 15%, 20%, and 29% for 0-2, 3-7, >7-days recovery groups, respectively. On adjusted multivariable competing-risk analysis, compared to 0-2-days, recovery at 3-7 and >7-days was independently associated with an increased risk for MAKE: sHR 1.45 (95% CI 1.01-2.09, p = 0.042), sHR 2.33 (95% CI 1.40-3.90, p = 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: Longer time to recovery is associated with an increased risk of MAKE in patients with cirrhosis and AKI. Further research should examine interventions to shorten AKI-recovery time and its impact on subsequent outcomes.

Development and Feasibility Testing of a Multilevel Intervention to Increase Hepatitis C Virus Screening Among Baby Boomers in Primary Care.

Chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) results in an increased risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Only 15% of baby boomers (born 1945-1965) have ever been screened. We aimed to develop a multilevel intervention to increase HCV screening for baby boomers in a primary care setting. This study included two phases: intervention development (phase 1) and feasibility testing (phase 2). In phase 1, we partnered with a Community Advisory Board and a Provider Advisory Board to develop a multilevel intervention to increase HCV screening to be delivered to both providers and patients in primary care. Phase 2 assessed intervention feasibility, acceptability, and usability by conducting Concurrent Think Aloud (CTA) interviews and surveys using previously validated scales with patients (n = 8) and providers (n = 7). Phase 1 results: The patient-level intervention included a mailed reminder letter and CDC pamphlet and a 7-min in-clinic educational video. The provider-level intervention included a 30-min educational session and monthly performance feedback e-mails. Phase 2 results: Qualitatively, both the patient and provider-level intervention were feasible, acceptable, and usable by the target audiences. Quantitatively, on a 1-4 scale, the range of patient-level scores was 3.00-4.00 and provider level was 3.50-4.00 for feasibility, acceptability, and usability. This intervention could improve HCV screening among a high-risk population and therefore reduce HCV-related morbidity and mortality. This project developed a feasible, acceptable, and usable multilevel intervention aimed at increasing HCV screening in primary care.

Social determinants of health impact mortality from HCC and cholangiocarcinoma: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The social determinants of health can pose barriers to accessing cancer screening and treatment and have been associated with cancer mortality. However, it is not clear whether area deprivation is independently associated with mortality in HCC and cholangiocarcinoma when controlling for individual-level social determinants of health. APPROACH AND RESULTS: The cohort included individuals over 18 years old diagnosed with HCC (N=3460) or cholangiocarcinoma (N=781) and reported to the Indiana State Cancer Registry from 2009 to 2017. Area disadvantage was measured using the social deprivation index (SDI). SDI was obtained by linking addresses to the American Community Survey. Individual social determinants of health included race, ethnicity, sex, marital status, and insurance type. The primary outcome was mortality while controlling for SDI and individual social determinants of health by means of Cox proportional hazard modeling. In HCC, living in a neighborhood in the fourth quartile of census-track SDI (most deprived) was associated with higher mortality (HR: 1.14, 95% CI, 1.003-1.30, p=0.04) than living in a first quartile SDI neighborhood. Being uninsured (HR: 1.64, 95% CI, 1.30-2.07, p<0.0001) and never being married (HR: 1.31, 95% CI, 1.15-1.48, p<0.0001) were also associated with mortality in HCC. In cholangiocarcinoma, SDI was not associated with mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Social deprivation was independently associated with mortality in HCC but not cholangiocarcinoma. Further research is needed to better understand how to intervene on both area and individual social determinants of health and develop interventions to address these disparities.

The prognostic impact of acute kidney injury recovery patterns in critically ill patients with cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) recovery patterns in critically ill patients with cirrhosis is unknown. We aimed to compare mortality stratified by AKI recovery patterns and identify predictors of mortality in patients with cirrhosis and AKI admitted to the intensive care unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with cirrhosis and AKI from 2016 to 2018 at 2 tertiary care intensive care units were analyzed (N=322). AKI recovery was defined by Acute Disease Quality Initiative consensus: return of serum creatinine <0.3 mg/dL of baseline within 7 days of AKI onset. Recovery patterns were categorized by Acute Disease Quality Initiative consensus: 0-2 days, 3-7 days, and no-recovery (persistence of AKI >7 d). Landmark competing risk univariable and multivariable models (liver transplant as competing risk) was used to compare 90-day mortality between AKI recovery groups and to determine independent predictors of mortality. RESULTS: Sixteen percent (N=50) and 27% (N=88) achieved AKI recovery within 0-2 and 3-7 days, respectively; 57% (N=184) had no-recovery. Acute on chronic liver failure was prevalent (83%) and patients with no-recovery were more likely to have grade 3 acute on chronic liver failure (N=95, 52%) compared to patients with AKI recovery [0-2: 16% (N=8); 3-7: 26% (N=23); p<0.001]. Patients with no-recovery had significantly higher probability of mortality [unadjusted-sub-HR (sHR): 3.55; 95% CI: 1.94-6.49; p<0.001] compared to patients with recovery within 0-2 days, while the probability was similar between 3-7 and 0-2 days (unadjusted-sub-HR: 1.71; 95% CI: 0.91-3.20; p=0.09). On multivariable analysis, AKI no-recovery (sub-HR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.33-3.24; p=0.001), severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (sub-HR: 2.41; 95% CI: 1.20-4.83; p=0.01), and ascites (sub-HR: 1.60; 95% CI: 1.05-2.44; p=0.03) were independently associated with mortality. CONCLUSION: AKI no-recovery occurs in over half of critically ill patients with cirrhosis and AKI and is associated with worse survival. Interventions that facilitate AKI recovery may improve outcomes in this patient population.

Health disparities in chronic liver disease.

The syndemic of hazardous alcohol consumption, opioid use, and obesity has led to important changes in liver disease epidemiology that have exacerbated health disparities. Health disparities occur when plausibly avoidable health differences are experienced by socially disadvantaged populations. Highlighting health disparities, their sources, and consequences in chronic liver disease is fundamental to improving liver health outcomes. There have been large increases in alcohol use disorder in women, racial and ethnic minorities, and those experiencing poverty in the context of poor access to alcohol treatment, leading to increasing rates of alcohol-associated liver diseases. Rising rates of NAFLD and associated fibrosis have been observed in Hispanic persons, women aged > 50, and individuals experiencing food insecurity. Access to viral hepatitis screening and linkage to treatment are suboptimal for racial and ethnic minorities and individuals who are uninsured or underinsured, resulting in greater liver-related mortality and later-stage diagnoses of HCC. Data from more diverse cohorts on autoimmune and cholestatic liver diseases are lacking, supporting the need to study the contemporary epidemiology of these disorders in greater detail. Herein, we review the existing literature on racial and ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic disparities in chronic liver diseases using a social determinants of health framework to better understand how social and structural factors cause health disparities and affect chronic liver disease outcomes. We also propose potential solutions to eliminate disparities, outlining health-policy, health-system, community, and individual solutions to promote equity and improve health outcomes.

Removal of medicaid restrictions were associated with increased hepatitis C virus treatment rates, but disparities persist.

Despite the release of a growing number of direct-acting antivirals and evolving policy landscape, many of those diagnosed with hepatitis C virus (HCV) have not received treatment. Those from vulnerable populations are at particular risk of being unable to access treatment, threatening World Health Organization (WHO) HCV elimination goals. The aim of this study was to understand the association between direct-acting antivirals approvals, HCV-related policy changes and access to HCV virus treatment in Indiana, and to explore access to treatment by race, birth cohort and insurance type. We performed a retrospective cohort study of adults with HCV from 05/2011-03/2021, using statewide electronic health data. Nine policy and treatment changes were defined a priori. A Lowess curve evaluated treatment trends over time. Monthly screening and treatment rates were examined. Multivariable logistic regression explored predictors of treatment. The population (N = 10,336) was 13.4% Black, 51.8% was born after 1965 and 44.7% was Medicaid recipients. Inflections in the Lowess curve defined four periods: (1) Interferon + DAA, (2) early direct-acting antivirals, (3) Medicaid expansion/optimization and (4) Medicaid restrictions (fibrosis/prescriber) removed. The largest increase in monthly treatment rates was during period 4, when Medicaid prescriber and fibrosis restrictions were removed (2.4 persons per month [PPM] in period 1 to 72.3 PPM in period 4, p < 0.001; 78.0% change in slope). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed being born after 1965 (vs. before 1945; OR 0.69; 95% 0.49-0.98) and having Medicaid (vs. private insurance; OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.42-0.53), but not race was associated with lower odds of being treated. In conclusion, DAAs had limited impact on HCV treatment rates until Medicaid restrictions were removed. Additional policies may be needed to address HCV treatment-related age and insurance disparities.

High-quality diet, physical activity, and college education are associated with low risk of NAFLD among the US population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The effects of diet quality (DQ), physical activity (PA), and socioeconomic status (SES) on the risk of NAFLD are unclear. We examined the association among DQ, PA, SES, and NAFLD risk. APPROACH AND RESULTS: This is a cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2017-2018, which included 3589 participants with reliable information on vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE) measurements, 24-h dietary recalls, PA, and SES. DQ was assessed by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015. PA was determined by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. SES was assessed by the educational attainment and family poverty income ratio (PIR). Risk of NAFLD was considered by means of a composite outcome using VCTE measurements: non-NAFLD versus NAFLD without clinically significant fibrosis (CSF) versus NAFLD with CSF. The NAFLD risk was lower in physically active (≥600 metabolic equivalent of task [MET] min/week) versus inactive participants (<600 MET min/week) (OR: 0.71, p = 0.043). A high-quality diet (HQD) (HEI > 56.64) was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD (OR: 0.58, p < 0.01) compared with a non-HQD. The lowest NAFLD risk was observed in those physically active with HQD (OR: 0.43, p < 0.01). Body mass index and waist circumference significantly mediated the effect of DQ and PA on NAFLD risk. Education (college or above) (OR: 0.65, p = 0.034), but not PIR, was associated with a reduced NAFLD risk. HQD and increased PA partially mediated the effect of education on NAFLD risk. The total effect of education on NAFLD risk mediated by DQ was 29% and by PA was 8%. CONCLUSIONS: HQD, increased physical activity, and college education were associated with lower NAFLD risk in the US population.

Severe Alcohol-Associated Hepatitis Is Associated With Worse Survival in Critically Ill Patients With Acute on Chronic Liver Failure.

Differences in mortality between critically ill patients with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (sAH) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) and non-sAH ACLF (i.e., ACLF not precipitated by sAH) are unknown. Such differences are important, as they may inform on prognosis and optimal timing of liver transplantation (LT). Thus, we aimed to compare short-term and longer-term mortality between patients with sAH ACLF and patients with non-sAH ACLF who were admitted to the intensive care unit. Patients with ACLF admitted from 2016-2018 at two tertiary care intensive care units were analyzed. SAH was defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Alcoholic Hepatitis Consortium and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score >20. Mortality without LT was compared between sAH ACLF and non-sAH ACLF using Fine and Gray's competing-risks regression. A total of 463 patients with ACLF (18% sAH and 82% non-sAH) were included. Compared to patients with non-sAH ACLF, patients with sAH ACLF were younger (49 vs. 56 years; P < 0.001) and had higher admission Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) (35 vs. 25; P < 0.001) and Chronic Liver Failure Consortium (CLIF-C) scores (61 vs. 57; P = 0.002). There were no significant differences between the two groups for vasopressor, mechanical ventilation, and hemodialysis use. The cumulative incidence of death was significantly higher in patients with sAH ACLF compared to patients with non-sAH ACLF: 30-day 74.7% versus 45.3%; 90-day 81.9% versus 57.4%; 180-day 83.2% versus 63.0% (unadjusted subdistribution hazard ratio [sHR] 1.88 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44-2.46]; P < 0.001). After adjusting for CLIF-C score and infection in a multivariable competing-risk model, patients with sAH ACLF had significantly higher risk of death (sHR 1.57 [95% CI 1.20-2.06]; P = 0.001) compared to patients with non-sAH ACLF. Conclusion: Critically ill patients with sAH ACLF have worse mortality compared to patients with non-sAH ACLF. These data may inform prognosis in patients with sAH and ACLF, and early LT referral in potentially eligible patients.