Glucocorticoid Treatment Strategies in Liver Failure

Chao Ye; Wenyuan Li; Lei Li; Kaiguang Zhang

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.846091

Glucocorticoid Treatment Strategies in Liver Failure

Front Immunol. 2022 Mar 16:13:846091. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.846091. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chao Ye¹, Wenyuan Li², Lei Li², Kaiguang Zhang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
² Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.

Abstract

Liver failure is characterized by serious liver decompensation and high mortality. The activation of systemic immune responses and systemic inflammation are widely accepted as the core pathogenesis of liver failure. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are most regularly utilized to suppress excessive inflammatory reactions and immunological responses. GCs have been used in the clinical treatment of liver failure for nearly 60 years. While there has been no unanimity on the feasibility and application of GC treatment in liver failure until recently. The most recent trials have produced conflicting results when it comes to the dose and time for GC therapy of different etiology of liver failure. Our review outlines the issues and options in managing GC treatment in liver failure based on an investigation of the molecular mechanism that GC may give in the treatment.

Keywords: glucocorticoids (GCs); immunosuppression; inflammation suppression; liver failure; strategies.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Glucocorticoids* / therapeutic use
Humans
Immunity
Immunotherapy / adverse effects
Inflammation / pathology
Liver Failure* / drug therapy
Liver Failure* / etiology

Substances

Glucocorticoids