Classification of Liver Failure*

Severity

Description

Common Findings

Acute (fulminant)

Portosystemic encephalopathy develops within

  • 2 weeks after jaundice appears

  • 8 weeks in a patient with no prior liver disease

Often cerebral edema

Subacute (subfulminant)

Encephalopathy develops within 6 months but later than in acute liver failure.

Renal failure, portal hypertension (more common than in acute liver failure)

Chronic

Encephalopathy develops after 6 months

Often caused by cirrhosis

* No classification system is universally accepted.

In these topics