Patients with a chronic liver disease often develop liver cirrhosis after a certain time if their disease is not appropriately managed, and cirrhosis was the cause of death in 2.4 % of all deaths globally in 2017 [1]. Liver cirrhosis frequently remains undiagnosed until progression to hepatic decompensation occurs, characterized by ascites, esophageal variceal bleeding or hepatic encephalopathy [2,3]. In addition, most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have cirrhosis, which can hence be seen as a premalignant condition [4].
