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©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Hepatol. Apr 27, 2021; 13(4): 421-432
Published online Apr 27, 2021. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i4.421
Published online Apr 27, 2021. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i4.421
Long-term albumin infusion in decompensated cirrhosis: A review of current literature
Yu Jun Wong, Rahul Kumar, Tiing Leong Ang, Department ofGastroenterology and Hepatology, Changi General Hospital, Singapore 529889, Singapore
Yu Jing Jonathan Chua, Department of Internal Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore 117597, Singapore
Author contributions: Wong YJ performed the study concept and design; Wong YJ and Chua YJJ performed the systematic review of literature, drafting the manuscript; Kumar R and Ang TL performed the critical review of the manuscript.
Supported by Nurturing Clinician Scientist Scheme Award by SingHealth Duke-NUS Medicine Academic Medicine Programme (Medicine ACP) , Changi General Hospital Research Grant.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Tiing Leong Ang, FASGE, FRCP, MBBS, Attending Doctor, Chief Physician, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Changi General Hospital, 2 Simei Street 3, Singapore 529889, Singapore. ang.tiing.leong@singhealth.com.sg
Received: February 17, 2021
Peer-review started: February 17, 2021
First decision: March 16, 2021
Revised: March 22, 2021
Accepted: April 13, 2021
Article in press: April 13, 2021
Published online: April 27, 2021
Peer-review started: February 17, 2021
First decision: March 16, 2021
Revised: March 22, 2021
Accepted: April 13, 2021
Article in press: April 13, 2021
Published online: April 27, 2021
Core Tip
Core Tip: Decompensated cirrhosis is characterized by chronic inflammation and severe portal hypertension leading to systemic circulatory dysfunction. Albumin infusion has been widely used in decompensated cirrhosis in patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, large-volume paracentesis and hepatorenal syndrome. Emerging data suggest long-term albumin infusion has both oncotic and non-oncotic properties which may improve the clinical outcomes in decompensated cirrhosis patients.