Acute liver failure: A progress report

Table 6 Criteria for predicting death and the need for liver transplantation at King's College Hospital, London¹

Cause of ALF	Criteria
Acetaminophen poisoning	pH < 7.3 (irrespective of grade of encephalopathy) or Prothrombin time > 100 s and serum creatinine > 300 μmol/L (3.4 mg/dL) in patients with grade III or IV encephalopathy
All other causes	Prothrombin time > 100 s (irrespective of grade of encephalopathy)
	Any three of the following variables (irrespective of grade of encephalopathy): age < 10 yr or > 40 yr; liver failure caused by non-A, non-B hepatitis, halothane-induced hepatitis, or idiosyncratic drug reactions; duration of jaundice before onset of encephalopathy > 7 d; prothrombin time > 50 s; serum bilirubin > 300 mmol/L (17.5 mg/dL)

¹Transplantation was considered if the likelihood of survival was less than 20%. ALF: Acute liver failure.