
Theme Issue: New Advances in the Clinical Management of Liver Cirrhosis: From Recompensation to Multisystem Intervention
Executive Chief Editor: XU Xiaoyuan
Peking University First Hospital
Liver cirrhosis is the end-stage of various chronic liver diseases, and hepatic fibrosis caused by persistent inflammation is the core mechanism of the development and progression of liver cirrhosis. With the evolution of disease spectrum and a deeper understanding of the reversal of hepatic fibrosis, dual antiviral-antifibrotic therapy initially applied in the treatment of hepatitis B cirrhosis has gradually evolved into a broad-sense dual therapy for liver cirrhosis, which integrates etiological treatment with antifibrotic and/or anti-inflammatory interventions. This article systematically reviews the conceptual evolution of dual therapy for liver cirrhosis and related research advances.
Liver cirrhosis recompensation refers to the process in which patients with decompensated cirrhosis achieve the disappearance of decompensated complications and restoration of liver function and clinical phenotype to a compensated state after etiological treatment or symptomatic treatment. In recent years, with effective control of the etiology of cirrhosis and treatment or prevention of decompensated complications, the clinical significance of recompensation has gained increasing attention. This article elaborates on recompensation from the aspects of definition, diagnostic criteria, influencing factors, mechanisms affecting long-term prognosis, and clinical management strategies, and with reference to the latest research evidence, this article also discusses the core value of recompensation in improving quality of life and reducing the risk of end-stage events, in order to provide a basis for optimizing the comprehensive management of liver cirrhosis.
Patients with liver cirrhosis often experience a reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) or even osteoporosis (OP) due to long-term chronic liver dysfunction and systemic metabolic disorders, and this condition has become one of the major complications affecting their quality of life and long-term prognosis. This article systematically reviews the epidemiological characteristics of reduced BMD associated with liver cirrhosis, summarizes the incidence of reduced BMD in liver cirrhosis patients with different etiologies, and analyzes its association with disease severity. This article further discusses the main pathophysiological mechanisms of reduced BMD induced by liver cirrhosis (including calcium/phosphorus metabolism disorders, sex hormone imbalance, chronic inflammatory response, and bone metabolism dysregulation), reviews the clinical manifestations, fracture risk, and adverse outcomes associated with reduced BMD, and summarizes current prevention and treatment strategies for cirrhosis-related OP. This review aims to integrate recent research advances in this field and to provide a reference for future mechanistic studies and standardized clinical management.
Pancreatic portal hypertension (PPH) is a type of regional portal hypertension secondary to pancreatic diseases and their complications. Unlike portal hypertension caused by liver cirrhosis, PPH is confined to the splenic venous system, and most patients tend to have normal liver function. Splenic vein obstruction and impaired blood return are the core mechanisms underlying the development of PPH, and isolated gastric fundal varices represent a characteristic manifestation of PPH. For patients with pancreatic diseases, it is necessary to establish early warning and risk stratification strategies, and high-quality studies are needed to further confirm the safety and efficacy of anticoagulation, surgical approaches, and interventional therapies in patients with PPH. This article systematically reviews the pathogenesis, etiological classification, clinical features, and key diagnostic points of PPH and discusses the current status of PPH treatment and existing challenges.
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a major complication of liver cirrhosis associated with a poor prognosis, imposing a heavy burden on patients, families, and the healthcare system. In recent years, although significant advances have been made in the diagnosis and management strategies for HE, many issues remain to be resolved. In 2026, the American College of Gastroenterology released a clinical guideline on HE, covering recommendations on the diagnosis, management, and prevention of HE, which provides guidance for clinical practice. This article gives an excerpt of the recommendations and key views from this guideline.
Recently, Gastroenterological Society of Australia convened a multidisciplinary group and applied a modified Delphi process to develop the first Australian consensus statement on the application of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in portal hypertension. To address the current issues of insufficient application and a lack of standardized protocols for TIPS in Australia, this consensus provides evidence-based recommendations across the key domains of preoperative preparation and assessment for TIPS, surgical standards, postoperative care and follow-up, and specific clinical indications, in order to provide standardized guidance for the comprehensive management of TIPS in liver disease patients with portal hypertension. This article gives an excerpt of the key statements in the consensus.
Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease (SOS/VOD) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in children has high incidence and mortality rates, and missed diagnosis of jaundice-free cases is common. In addition, there are still controversies over the efficacy of prophylactic defibrotide (DF) use, and the European Medicines Agency does not recommend the prophylactic use of DF, whereas clinical needs remain urgent. In 2026, by integrating controversial research evidence and focusing on specific prophylaxis for high-risk children, the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation established a weighted cumulative scoring system to quantify risks and accurately identify the populations who may benefit from DF prophylaxis, in order to provide evidence-based support for the prophylactic use of DF, reduce the incidence and mortality rates of SOS/VOD in children, and improve the prognosis of patients. This article gives an excerpt of the key points in the consensus guidelines.
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, particularly Clostridium difficile infection, while there are few reports of its application in the diagnosis and treatment of cirrhotic ascites. This article reports a case of a patient with cirrhotic ascites and chronic diarrhea who received FMT with oral capsules, demonstrating significant short-term efficacy without any adverse reactions, in order to provide a reference for the application of FMT in the treatment of liver diseases.
Subacute cholecystitis complicated by gallbladder perforation often manifests as inflammatory lesions around the gallbladder, and it is extremely rare for this condition to cause massive hemorrhage into the omental bursa with secondary infection and result in massive hemorrhagic abscess. This article reports a case of a female patient, aged 68 years, who experienced massive hemorrhagic abscess in the omental bursa due to localized perforation and bleeding caused by a stone impacted in the gallbladder neck. The patient had a history of gallstones for 30 years and was admitted to Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, after tertiary referral due to aggravated abdominal pain, chills, and fever. After comprehensive assessment by a multidisciplinary team, the patient underwent emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy and clearance of the hemorrhagic abscess in the omental bursa. The patient recovered well and was discharged on day 10 after surgery, with good conditions during follow-up.
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a chronic liver disease with a rapidly increasing incidence rate worldwide, and its complex pathogenesis is closely associated with O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification. As a dynamic and reversible post-translational modification of proteins, O-GlcNAc modification is mainly regulated by O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase. O-GlcNAc modification can drive hepatic steatosis, exacerbate insulin resistance, and impair mitochondrial function, thereby leading to the aggravation of metabolic disorders, promoting inflammation response, and driving the progression of MAFLD to metabolic associated steatohepatitis and hepatic fibrosis. This article systematically reviews the latest research advances in the role of O-GlcNAc modification in the development and progression of MAFLD, in order to provide theoretical support and research direction for a deeper understanding of the pathological mechanism of MAFLD and the development of effective therapeutic strategies.
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a highly prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, and the mechanism underlying its progression to metabolic associated steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis remain unclear. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and ferroptosis (Fer) are deeply involved in the pathological evolution of MAFLD. This article systematically reviews the core regulatory mechanisms of ERS and its role in regulating lipid metabolism, inflammation response, and cell apoptosis in MAFLD. It also analyzes the core mechanism of Fer and discusses the predisposing factors for Fer in the pathological microenvironment of MAFLD, as well as the role of Fer in exacerbating hepatocyte death and activating the progression of liver fibrosis. This article proposes that the crosstalk between ERS and Fer is a key driver for the progression of MAFLD, which provides new references and ideas for the clinical intervention of MAFLD.
The pathogenesis of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is closely associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis. Dysbiosis can lead to translocation of bacterial derivatives (such as lipopolysaccharide), which drives hepatic inflammatory response and metabolic imbalance by activating Toll-like receptors (TLR) and their downstream signaling pathways. This article systematically reviews the mechanism of action of the gut microbiota-TLR axis in MAFLD, and elaborates on the function of the key receptors such as TLR2 and TLR4 and the lesser-studied members (TLR5, TLR7, and TLR9). This article also summarizes the downstream signaling events after TLR activation, including the canonical NF-κB and MAPK pathways, as well as the role of the JAK-STAT and PI3K-Akt pathways in the pathological mechanism of MAFLD. Finally, this article reviews the potential intervention strategies for MAFLD by targeting gut microbiota and regulating the gut microbiota-TLR signaling axis, in order to provide new ideas for clinical prevention and treatment.
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, and its progression is closely associated with the development of liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and even hepatocellular carcinoma. However, there is still a lack of effective therapies for MAFLD in clinical practice. Telomere is the protective structure at the end of chromosomes, and telomere shortening and functional impairment have been identified as one of the key factors regulating the pathological progression of MAFLD. This article systematically reviews the core mechanism of action of telomere regulation in MAFLD, including its molecular functions in nucleotide metabolism, oxidative stress, and epigenetic regulation, as well as its pathological effect in hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells. In addition, this article explores the clinical prospects of telomeres as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for MAFLD, in order to provide a theoretical reference for improving the precise diagnosis and treatment system of MAFLD.
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic inflammatory liver disease mediated by T lymphocytes, and it can progress to liver cirrhosis or even liver failure without timely intervention. As a natural flavonoid compound, naringenin (NAR) shows a potential value in the prevention and treatment of AIH through multiple mechanisms such as remodeling immune homeostasis, targeted inhibition of inflammatory pathways, antioxidation, regulating hepatocyte metabolism and apoptosis, improving mitochondrial function, and regulating intestinal flora. However, the clinical translation and application of NAR is limited by issues such as low bioavailability and insufficient efficiency of liver-targeted delivery. This article systematically reviews the mechanism of action of NAR in the prevention and treatment of AIH, explores the potential signaling pathways involved in this process, and analyzes existing challenges in its translation and application and future research directions, so as to provide a reference for further research on NAR and its application in the prevention and treatment of AIH.
Liver fibrosis is a critical pathological process in the progression of chronic liver diseases and is mainly driven by the activation of hepatic stellate cells, and it is characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. Programmed cell death is widely observed in liver fibrosis and plays diverse roles in different types of cells. It is not only a mechanism for maintaining cellular homeostasis through metabolism, but it can also regulate the development and progression of diseases. Ferroptosis has recently emerged as a research focus due to its close association with lipid metabolism. This article systematically reviews the related concepts of lipid metabolism, ferroptosis, and liver fibrosis, analyzes the bridging role and dual regulatory function of ferroptosis in lipid metabolism and liver fibrosis, and further highlights the clinical application value of targeting ferroptosis in hepatic stellate cells for the treatment of liver fibrosis, in order to provide new perspectives for the mechanistic studies on liver fibrosis and the optimization of related clinical intervention strategies.
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is significantly more prevalent in patients with liver cirrhosis. Recent studies indicate that SIBO is not merely a concomitant phenomenon but a key driver of cirrhosis progression via the “gut-liver axis” mechanism. This review innovatively proposes a “microbiota-immunity-fibrosis” pathological positive feedback loop model, systematically elucidating the sequential pathological process through which SIBO drives disease progression via multiple mechanisms—including disruption of intestinal barrier function, facilitation of bacterial and endotoxin translocation, induction of systemic inflammatory responses, and acceleration of hepatic fibrosis. Furthermore, it provides a systematic evaluation of the clinical application value and limitations of current SIBO-targeted therapeutic strategies, such as antibiotic therapy, microbial modulation, herbal medicine interventions, and dietary therapies. This work aims to establish a theoretical foundation and identify future research directions for the development of multi-targeted and personalized comprehensive treatment strategies.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly prevalent worldwide with a high mortality rate. Despite the continuous advances in current treatment methods such as surgery, targeted drugs, and immunotherapy, there is still a lack of significant improvement in the 5-year survival rate of patients due to strong tumor heterogeneity, high metastatic potential, and a high drug resistance rate. Therefore, it is urgently needed to identify new therapeutic targets. The aberrant activation of Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a pivotal hub for cell proliferation, metastasis, and immune evasion of HCC. This article systematically reviews the multiple regulatory mechanisms underlying YAP activation in HCC, including the promotion of YAP nuclear translocation by Hippo pathway inactivation, G protein-coupled receptor signal activation, and changes in mechanical stress of extracellular matrix. Meanwhile, it summarizes the synergistic crosstalk between YAP and non-classical pathways such as the Wnt pathway, as well as its specific role in remodeling the immune microenvironment and facilitating tumor immune escape by upregulating programmed death ligand 1. In addition, it reviews the development of new technologies such as YAP-TEAD inhibitors and proteolysis-targeting chimera and points out that interactions between the multiple regulatory mechanisms of YAP is a key contributor to tumor heterogeneity and therapeutic resistance. Future research should focus on developing novel inhibitors targeting the YAP regulatory network, designing combined therapy strategies, and establishing molecular biomarker detection systems, which may become pivotal directions for promoting precise treatment of HCC.
Liver cancer is one of the most prevalent malignant tumors worldwide. Conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy are often limited by poor targeting efficiency and significant adverse effects. Nanovesicle delivery systems have emerged as a research hotspot due to their superior biocompatibility and targeting potential. This article introduces the fundamental characteristics and main types of nanovesicles, elaborates on their mechanisms in targeting the liver, deeply analyzes their application potential in the treatment of liver cancer and related research advances, and discusses future challenges and development trends, in order to provide a reference for further research and clinical application of nanovesicles in targeted therapy for liver cancer.
The liver is a vital metabolic organ sustaining human life activities, and its dysfunction is closely associated with various liver diseases. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that semaphorins (SEMA) play a significant role in pathological processes such as immune inflammatory response, tumor progression, and fibrosis in liver diseases by interacting with their receptors plexins and neuropilins. This article reviews the expression, functions, and molecular mechanisms of different SEMA in viral hepatitis, hepatocellular carcinoma, liver fibrosis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury, and it also explores the potential application value of SEMA in the diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases, in order to provide new ideas for precise diagnosis and targeted treatment of liver diseases.
Liver transplantation is the standard treatment for end-stage liver disease, but it has long been limited by the shortage of donor livers. In clinical practice, three types of donor liver (domino donor livers, small-for-size grafts, and steatotic donor livers) are limited due to issues such as metabolic defects, insufficient volume, and poor quality. This article systematically reviews the definition, clinical application, and bottlenecks of the above three types of donor livers and elaborates on the unique value and clinical practice advances of auxiliary liver transplantation (a special surgical procedure that retains part or all of the recipient’s own liver and superimposes donor liver function support) in avoiding small-for-size syndrome, compensating for metabolic defects, and expanding the application of marginal livers, in order to provide a targeted clinical practice reference for optimizing liver transplantation strategies for end-stage liver disease and improving donor liver utilization rate.
Acute pancreatitis (AP) often has an acute onset, and although most cases are self-limiting, there is still a risk of rapid deterioration, posing a serious threat to the lives of patients. Currently, traditional assessment tools such as clinical scoring systems and serum biomarkers are widely used to determine disease severity and prognosis. To enhance the accuracy of assessment, combined detection strategies integrating different scores and biomarkers are often used in clinical practice; however, there are still certain limitations such as insufficient specificity, limited early sensitivity, and a lack of consistent cut-off values. Therefore, current studies are actively exploring novel biomarkers with superior specificity and sensitivity and continuously optimizing their combined application strategies. This article summarizes the current application status of traditional assessment tools and reviews the research advances in novel biomarkers.
Pancreatic diseases are characterized by difficulties in diagnosis and treatment, as well as complex pathogenic mechanisms. Combined drug therapy can enhance therapeutic efficacy, overcome drug resistance, and reduce adverse effects through synergistic interactions and has thus emerged as an important strategy for improving the treatment of pancreatic diseases. This article systematically reviews the commonly used methods for evaluating the synergistic effect of drug combinations, including isobologram analysis, the Chou-Talalay method, Jin’s formula, and the weighted sum method, as well as the theoretical basis, applicability, and limitations of each method, and this article also summarizes the recent advances in their application in pancreatic diseases including pancreatic cancer and acute pancreatitis. By comparing the characteristics of different methods in terms of measurement accuracy and experimental dependence, this article further proposes a framework for evaluating the effect of multi-drug combinations tailored to pancreatic diseases, thereby providing a basis for the screening and optimization of drug combination regimens, as well as new perspectives for the future development of synergistic evaluation models and combined therapeutic strategies.
Pancreatic cancer is characterized by occult clinical manifestations and high malignancy, and conventional imaging examinations and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity for detecting early-stage pancreatic cancer lesions. Difficulty in early diagnosis severely restricts the long-term survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Liquid biopsy targets the biomarkers in body fluid samples, including circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor microRNA, and extracellular vesicles, showing the advantages of noninvasiveness and continuous monitoring. This review systematically summarizes the latest advances in liquid biopsy for the early screening and diagnosis, recurrence prediction, and prognostic assessment of pancreatic cancer, aiming to provide new insights and references for precision screening of high-risk populations and the clinical translation of liquid biopsy.
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- 1Current situation in the research of Gilbert’s syndrome
- 2Review of acute pancreatitis scoring systems
- 3Clinical value of 13C-methacetin breath test for assessing liver function in patients with cirrhosis
- 4Studies on relevant gactors of Child-Pugh grading in hepatic cirrhosis
- 5Meta-analysis of 111 patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis-associated hepatocellular carcinoma
- 6Relationship between Epstein-Barr virus infection and hepatic lesions in children
- 7Research state and prospect of hyponatremia in cirrhosis
- 8Congenital bile acid synthesis defect and cholestatic liver disease
- 9Interventional treatment for Budd-Chiari syndrome:reports of 883 cases
- 10
- 1The guideline of prevention and treatment for chronic hepatitis B: a 2015 update
- 2Chinese guidelines for the management of acute pancreatitis ( Shenyang , 2019 )
- 3The guideline of prevention and treatment for chronic hepatitis B(2010 version)
- 4Current situation in the research of Gilbert’s syndrome
- 5
- 6Comprehensive guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer (2018 version)
- 7Consensus on the diagnosis and management of primary biliary cirrhosis (cholangitis)(2015)
- 8Diagnosis, management, and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (V2017)
- 9Consensus on the diagnosis and management of autoimmune hepatitis(2015)
- 10Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of chronic hepatitis B (version 2019)
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