Mechanisms and implications of recompensation in cirrhosis

Decompensated cirrhosis has long been considered the irreversible end stage of liver disease, characterised by further decompensating events until death or liver transplantation. However, the observed clinical improvements after effective antiviral treatments for HBV and HCV and after sustained alcohol abstinence have changed this paradigm, leading to the concept of “recompensation” of cirrhosis. Recompensation of cirrhosis was recently defined by Baveno VII as (i) cure of the primary liver disease aetiology; (ii) disappearance of signs of decompensation (ascites, encephalopathy and portal hypertensive bleeding) off therapy; and (iii) stable improvement of liver function tests (bilirubin, international normalised ratio and albumin). Achieving these recompensation criteria is linked to a significant survival benefit. However, apart from aetiological therapies, no interventions/treatments that facilitate recompensation are available, the molecular mechanisms underlying recompensation remain incompletely understood, and early predictors of recompensation are lacking. Moreover, current recompensation criteria are based on expert opinion and may be refined in the future. Herein, we review the available evidence on cirrhosis recompensation, provide guidance on the clinical management of recompensated patients and discuss future challenges related to cirrhosis recompensation.