Associations between body mass index and mortality in acute-on-chronic liver failure patients

The association between the level of body mass index (BMI) and the mortality of patients with critical liver disease remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the association between BMI and hospital mortality of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF).

Clinical data from 146 ACLF patients were collected and analyzed. BMI was categorized into three groups: lower BMI (<18.5kg/m²), normal BMI (18.5-24.9kg/m²), and overweight (25.0-32.0kg/m²). BMI and laboratory parameters were measured one day before, or on the day of the start of the treatment. Values of BMI and laboratory parameters were compared between survivors and non-survivors, and then hospital mortality rates were compared among patients with different BMI levels.

The prognosis of ACLF patients was significantly correlated with international normalized ratio (INR), albumin and BMI. The ACLF patients with low albumin level and high INR values tend to have a high mortality rate. Also, survival time was significantly shorter in the ACLF patients with lower BMI, while patients with normal and overweight values had longer survival time.

A graded association between BMI and hospital mortality with a strong significant trend was found in ACLF patients in China.