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Oral mucosa lesions and gingival bleeding can indicate the progression of liver disease in children and adolescents aged two to 18 years
Author(s) -
OlczakKowalczyk Dorota,
KrasuskaSławińska Ewa,
Gozdowski Dariusz,
Kowalczyk Wojciech,
Pawłowska Joanna
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.14213
Subject(s) - medicine , gingivitis , liver disease , tongue , oral mucosa , outpatient clinic , chronic liver disease , gastroenterology , coagulopathy , dentistry , cirrhosis , pathology
Aim This study assessed correlations between systemic disturbances of paediatric chronic liver diseases ( CLD ) and oral symptoms in subjects aged 2–18 years. Methods It was carried out during outpatient appointments at the Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland, from 2010 to 2015 and comprised 52 CLD patients with a mean age of 12.3 ± 4.6. We also recruited 54 generally healthy controls with a mean age of 12.0 ± 3.7 from the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at the Medical University of Warsaw. The study used various measures, including the Child–Pugh score, which assesses CLD prognosis. We also assessed the causes of liver disease and the medication taken by the patients with CLD. Results A total of 24 patients received a Child–Pugh score of seven or more points, while 28 patients were awarded five or six points. More severe cases of gingivitis and a greater prevalence of oral lesions were evident in patients suffering from liver disease. Oral candidiasis, telangiectasia, bald tongue, cracked strawberry lip, yellowish‐brown gum discoloration, petechiae and gingival bleeding all correlated with the severity of liver dysfunction, coagulopathy, protein, bilirubin and creatinine levels and portal hypertension. Conclusion This study found that oral lesions and gingival bleeding may indicate the progression of liver failure.