Background/Objectives: Cirrhosis is an irreversible state of chronic liver disease. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a severe complication and significantly contributes to lethal outcomes in cirrhotic patients. We studied a group of cirrhotic patients with SIRS admitted to our centre, assessing the relationship with in-hospital outcomes. Methods: The study population included 102 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and SIRS. Laboratory biomarkers, the model for end-stage liver disease, the model for end-stage liver disease—natrium, the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, CLIF-C organ failure, the systemic immune-inflammation index score (S II), and the Cirrhosis Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding (CAGIB) score were tested in relation to the mortality risk using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Our results demonstrated that values of sodium, chlorides, and albumin significantly correlated with 7-day survival. The area under the curve’s (AUCs) values for sodium, chlorides, and albumin were 0.542, 0.627, and 0.610, respectively, for 7-day mortality prediction. The CAGIB score significantly correlated with 7-day mortality, with the cut-off value of −7.86 (AUC: 0.674, 95% CI (0.555–0.794)). For the assessment of 28-day mortality, the AUC values for sodium, chlorides, and albumin were 0.630, 0.654, and 0.661, respectively. Additionally, the cut-off value of the CAGIB score was found to be −7.84 (AUC: 0.625, 95% CI (0.509–0.740)) in 28-day mortality prediction. Conclusions: Sodium, chlorides, albumin, and the CAGIB score are reliable predictors of 7-day and 28-day in-hospital mortality in patients with advanced alcoholic liver disease and SIRS.

Background: The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR), in collaboration with the European Scleroderma Trial and Research group (EUSTAR), published the first set of treatment recommendations for systemic sclerosis (SSc) in 2009, with subsequent updates in 2016 and 2023. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate how rheumatologists’ clinical approaches to the treatment of SSc evolved following the 2016 update of the clinical management guidelines. Methods: Medication use for SSc was analyzed in a cohort of 378 patients. The patients were stratified based on enrollment before (233 patients) and after (145 patients) the guideline update, and medication usage was compared between the two groups. Results: Although all patients presented with Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), only 35% received calcium channel blockers. Medications such as iloprost, phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, fluoxetine, and bosentan, recommended for the treatment of RP and digital ulcers, were not approved for SSc by the Republic Health Insurance Fund. Treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was administered to only 16 patients (4.2%), including 2 who received bosentan, 10 who received PDE-5 inhibitors, and 4 who were treated with riociguat. The use of PDE-5 inhibitors increased following the 2016 update of the guidelines. Cyclophosphamide was consistently prescribed for interstitial lung disease (ILD), with an increased frequency observed after the guideline update. No significant differences were observed in the use of methotrexate for skin involvement, ACE inhibitors for scleroderma renal crisis, or antibiotics for gastrointestinal symptoms. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) were prescribed to 87.3% of patients with gastrointestinal involvement, with an increase in use of both PPIs and prokinetic agents following the guideline update. Conclusions: Rheumatologists’ adherence to the EULAR/EUSTAR guidelines varied considerably, with 25% to 100% of eligible patients receiving the recommended treatments. Concordance improved in the management of PAH, ILD, and gastrointestinal involvement after the 2016 guideline update.

Background/Objectives: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is characterized by multiple organ failure and short-term mortality, and hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is its frequent complication. We investigated whether the severity of HE upon admission in patients with alcohol-related ACLF at the intensive care unit (ICU) was associated with short-term mortality. Methods: In total, 100 patients with alcohol-related ACLF and HE admitted in ICU were enrolled in the study. Laboratory biomarkers, total hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU length of stay, acute kidney injury (AKI), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, CLIF-C organ failure and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score were tested in relation to the mortality risk. HE was assessed and divided into groups using the West Haven criteria. Results: Total hospital LOS, 7-day and 28-day mortality were significantly higher in the higher-grade HE group (p = 0.035, p = 0.031, p = 0.002, respectively). CLIF-C OF, SOFA, and APACHE II scores were significantly higher in the higher-grade HE group (p < 0.001). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis demonstrated reduced survival in patients with higher-grade HE (log-rank p < 0.001). In Cox regression analyses, AKI was associated with short-term mortality in both HE groups. Total hospital LOS and ICU length of stay were also associated with mortality, but were interpreted as post-baseline markers of clinical trajectory rather than baseline prognostic predictors. Conclusions: In patients with alcohol-related ACLF and HE, higher-grade HE was associated with poorer short-term survival. AKI and higher CLIF-C OF, SOFA and APACHE II scores were associated with poor outcomes, supporting their clinical relevance for mortality risk stratification in this population. LOS-related findings should be interpreted as markers of clinical trajectory rather than baseline prognostic predictors.