Classification of liver failure According to the characteristics of the pathological histology of liver failure and the speed of disease progression, liver failure can be divided into acute liver failure, subacute liver failure and chronic liver failure. Acute and subacute liver failure are syndromes with marked jaundice, coagulation dysfunction and hepatic encephalopathy as the main manifestations due to acute decompensation of liver function; chronic liver failure is a state of liver failure with ascites or other portal hypertension, coagulation dysfunction and hepatic encephalopathy as the main manifestations due to chronic progressive aggravation of hepatocellular damage. Acute liver failure occurring on the basis of chronic liver disease is referred to abroad as slow plus acute liver failure and domestically as chronic severe hepatitis. Some scholars believe that it belongs to acute (subacute) liver failure, others believe that it should be classified as chronic liver failure, and others believe that it should be divided into a separate category. Which of these opinions is more reasonable remains to be further discussed. Table 2 Classification of liver failure Nomenclature Definition Acute liver failure Acute onset, clinical manifestations of liver failure within 2 weeks Subacute liver failure More acute onset, clinical manifestations of liver failure between 15 days and 24 weeks Chronic liver failure Progressive decompensation of liver function based on chronic liver disease and cirrhosis Staging of liver failure Liver failure can be divided into early, intermediate and late stages according to the severity of the patient’s clinical manifestations [7]. (A) Early stage 1. extreme weakness with severe gastrointestinal symptoms such as marked anorexia, frequent vomiting and intractable abdominal distension; 2. progressive deepening of jaundice (total serum bilirubin > 171 μmol/L or rising ≥ 17 μmol/L per day); 3. bleeding tendency with 30% ≤ prothrombin activity (PTA)