Is higher body mass index correlated with worse clinical outcomes in acute liver failure?

Krishnan et al's article is a comprehensive and vigorous retrospective cohort study regarding the association between obesity and clinical outcomes in acute liver failure (ALF). Among patients with ALF in the United States, mean body mass index (BMI) was significantly greater in those who underwent liver transplantation or who died than among survivors, although acetaminophen induced ALF was the most common etiology. A high BMI was associated with renal failure and high grades of hepatic encephalopathy. The prevalence of obesity and its related fatty liver diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease/ metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, has increased worldwide. Obesity is related to increased serum cytokines and immune abnormalities. These findings may explain why ALF in patients with high BMI is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Further studies are needed to determine the associations among BMI, ALF and acute-on-chronic liver failure.