Published online Mar 27, 2018. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v10.i3.371
Peer-review started: October 29, 2017
First decision: November 28, 2017
Revised: January 19, 2018
Accepted: January 29, 2018
Article in press: January 29, 2018
Published online: March 27, 2018
Processing time: 149 Days and 14.9 Hours
Currently there is a lack of accurate biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in advanced liver diseases. Either the occurrence of first decompensation, or diagnosis of acute on chronic liver failure, severe alcoholic hepatitis, or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), none of the available biomarkers are satisfactory. Metabolomics is the newest of omics, being much closer than the others to the actual phenotype and pathologic changes that characterizes a certain condition. It deals with a much wider spectrum of low molecular weight bio-compounds providing a powerful platform for discovering novel biomarkers and biochemical pathways to improve diagnostic, prognostication and therapy. Until now metabolomics was applied in a wide spectrum of liver conditions, but the findings were contradictory. This review proposes a synthesis of the existing evidences of metabolomics use in advanced chronic liver diseases, decompensated liver cirrhosis, severe alcoholic hepatitis and HCC.
Core tip: Currently there is a lack of accurate biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis in advanced liver diseases. Either the occurrence of first decompensation, or diagnosis of acute on chronic liver failure, severe alcoholic hepatitis, or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), none of the available biomarkers are satisfactory. This review proposes a synthesis of the existing evidences of metabolomics use in advanced chronic liver diseases, decompensated liver cirrhosis, severe alcoholic hepatitis and HCC.