Abstract: Objective The aim of this summarize the clinical feature and prognostic factors of patients with liver failure induced by chemotherapy for lymphoma.Methods The clinical manifestations, laboratory tests and outcomes of liver failure after chemotherapy for lymphoma were analyzed retrospectively.Results 21 patients (15 males and 6 females) were included with the mean age of 55.6±15.2(29-76) years old, having underlying non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 20 cases and Hodgkin’s lymphoma in one; the rituximab and conventional chemotherapy were given, and the causes of liver failure were hepatitis B viral reactivation in 12, drug-induced liver injury in 5, hepatic lymphoma infiltration in 2 and hepatitis E infection in 2; all patients received conventional supporting therapy including artificial liver supporting system; 11 patients survived and 10 died with median survival of 14(4 -40) days; univariate analysis showed that serum AST, Cr, INR and MELD score were the risk factors of death, and Cox regression showed that serum Cr and the MELD score were the independent impacting predictors. Conclusions The liver function tests should be closely monitored in patients with lymphoma during chemotherapy, and antiviral therapy should be started prophylactically in patients with underlying HBV infection.

Key words: Liver failure, Lymphoma, Clinical feature, Prognosis