Liver Dysfunction in Sepsis

Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. During sepsis, the liver has essential roles, such as immune defense and metabolic adaptation to inflammation. In addition, it is a target for sepsis-related injury, including hypoxic hepatitis, cholestasis, drug-induced liver injury, and secondary sclerosing cholangitis in critically ill patients. In particular, the mortality rate due to sepsis is four times higher in patients with cirrhosis, warranting a high index of suspicion for infection, appropriate diagnosis, and prompt antimicrobial treatment. The most recent definition of sepsis (Sepsis-3) no longer uses systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and is based on the signs of organ dysfunction, which can be assessed by the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) and quick SOFA (qSOFA) scores. The qSOFA score can be applied at the bedside before any tests and is believed to be suggestive of sepsis when at least two of the following criteria are met: altered consciousness, respiratory rate ≥22/min, and systolic blood pressure ≤100 mmHg. While the qSOFA score performs well in the general population, its role in cirrhotic patients is unclear. This paper briefly reviews the current knowledge of the pathogenesis, definition of sepsis, and sepsis-related liver dysfunction. Furthermore, this review summarizes the clinical applicability of Sepsis-3 in cirrhotic patients.