Table 1. Clinical staging criteria for cirrhosis of the liver.

Stage	Common description or name of the condition	Alternate description or synonym	Supporting evidence or clues
1.0	Cirrhosis	Cirrhosis: Portal (alcoholic Laennec's); post-necrotic; biliary; cardiac; posthepatic cirrhosis; toxic cirrhosis	Liver biopsy or laparoscopy or documentation by physical signs and laboratory data consistent with the diagnosis
2.0	Cirrhosis plus:
2.1	Ascites or peripheral edema		Abdominal paracentesis (aspiration) or shifting dullness or fluid wave, or pitting edema
2.2	Portal hypertension		Portal venous pressure measurement or radiologic exam of portal system or physical signs of abdominal collaterals, splenomegaly, cirrhosis, altered consciousness or mentation, neuromuscular signs (tremor, asterixis), abdominal EEG, elevated serum ammonia, factor hepaticus.
3.1	Hypersplenism		Splenomegaly, cytopenia
3.2	Variceal hemorrhage or bacterial peritonitis		Endoscopy or arteriography, diagnostic peritoneal tap
3.3	Coagulopathy	Coagulation defects	Physical signs of bleeding and coagulation studies consistent with this finding.
3.4	Hepatic encephalopathy	Hepatic coma	Altered consciousness or mentation, neuromuscular signs (tremors, asterixis), elevated serum ammonia
3.5	Hepatorenal syndrome		Oliguria, azotemia in patient with clinically severe liver failure
4.0	Death

NOTE: EEG = electroencephalogram.

SOURCE: Gonnella (1983), pg. 334.