Acute Liver Failure: Mechanisms of Disease and Multisystemic Involvement.

Acute liver failure is accompanied by a pathologic syndrome common to numerous different etiologies of liver injury. This acute liver failure syndrome leads to potentially widespread devastating end-organ consequences. Systemic dysregulation and dysfunction is likely propagated via inflammation as well as underlying hepatic failure itself. Decoding the mechanisms of the disease process and multisystemic involvement of acute liver failure offers potential for targeted treatment opportunities and improved clinical outcomes in this sick population.