Published online Jun 27, 2023. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v15.i6.850
Peer-review started: April 8, 2023
First decision: May 4, 2023
Revised: May 22, 2023
Accepted: May 31, 2023
Article in press: May 31, 2023
Published online: June 27, 2023
Sepsis is a severe medical condition that occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to an infection, leading to life-threatening organ dysfunction. The "Third international consensus definitions for sepsis and septic shock (Sepsis-3)" defines sepsis as an increase in sequential organ failure assessment score of 2 points or more, with a mortality rate above 10%. Sepsis is a leading cause of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and patients with underlying conditions such as cirrhosis have a higher risk of poor outcomes. Therefore, it is critical to recognize and manage sepsis promptly by administering fluids, vasopressors, steroids, and antibiotics, and identifying and treating the source of infection.
To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature on the management of sepsis in cirrhotic patients admitted to the ICU and compare the management of sepsis between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients in the ICU.
This study is a systematic literature review that followed the PRISMA statement's standardized search method. The search for relevant studies was conducted across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, Base, and Cochrane, using predefined search terms. One reviewer conducted the initial search, and the eligibility criteria were applied to the titles and abstracts of the retrieved articles. The selected articles were then evaluated based on the research objectives to ensure relevance to the study's aims.
The study findings indicate that cirrhotic patients are more susceptible to infections, resulting in higher mortality rates ranging from 18% to 60%. Early identification of the infection source followed by timely administration of antibiotics, vasopressors, and corticosteroids has been shown to improve patient outcomes. Procalcitonin is a useful biomarker for diagnosing infections in cirrhotic patients. Moreover, presepsin and resistin have been found to be reliable markers of bacterial infection in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, with similar diagnostic performance compared to procalcitonin.
This review highlights the importance of early detection and management of infections in cirrhosis patients to reduce mortality. Therefore, early detection of infection using procalcitonin test and other biomarker as presepsin and resistin, associated with early management with antibiotics, fluids, vasopressors and low dose corticosteroids might reduce the mortality associated with sepsis in cirrhotic patients.
Core Tip: Sepsis is a severe condition encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU), and when it occurs in cirrhotic patients, it often leads to high mortality due to impaired immunity and multiorgan failure. To diagnose and monitor sepsis in cirrhotic patients, various scoring systems have been developed, including the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, the Chronic Liver Failure-Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (CLIF-SOFA) score, quick SOFA (qSOFA), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD), and MELD-Na score. Although the proposed current management of sepsis in cirrhotic patients might follow the guidelines proposed by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, this approach has might not cause significant improvement in patient outcomes. Therefore, early recognition of infection and its source is critical, followed by timely initiation of antibiotic therapy, fluid resuscitation with albumin (5% or 20%), vasopressors, and low-dose corticosteroids such as hydrocortisone. Studies have shown that this approach reduces mortality in the ICU. In addition to pharmacological interventions, interventions to control the source of infection, such as surgical drainage, may also be necessary. Finally, procalcitonin levels can be used as a diagnostic biomarker in cirrhotic patients with sepsis, helping to guide antibiotic therapy and improve patient outcomes. In conclusion, timely recognition and management of sepsis in cirrhotic patients in the ICU is crucial, and early initiation of appropriate interventions, including antibiotics, fluids, and corticosteroids, may improve patient outcomes.