Septic complications
Daily surveillance of patients with liver failure will detect:
- bacterial infection in 90% of cases
- fungal infection in 32% of cases
Gram positive and gram negative organisms are common.
Infection most commonly presents within 3 days of hospital admission. Often the normal clinical features of fever and leucocytosis are absent.
Trials have shown that prophylactic intravenous antibiotic therapy is effective in reducing sepsis in acute hepatic failure.
Ref: Caraceni, P. & van Thiel, DH. (1995). Acute liver failure. Lancet 345, 165-6.
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