Inception of a University-based 'Acute Liver Failure (ALF) Study Group': First Promising Results Support the Concept of Regionally Focused Optimized Treatment for ALF Patients

Acute liver failure (ALF), a rare yet devastating clinical syndrome, is associated with a high rate of mortality. While data on the current situation in Germany is scarce, studies from the USA, the UK, and Sweden highlighted increasing predominance of drug toxicities as major ALF causes. Objectives and Methods: Incepting an ALF Study Group aimed at improving the integration, networking and collaboration between peripheral hospitals in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany, and the Transplant Center at the City of Essen’s University Hospital. Defined objectives were to optimize the patients’…