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Hepatitis A acute liver failure: follow‐up of paediatric patients in southern Brazil
Author(s) -
Ferreira C. T.,
Vieira S. M. G.,
Kieling C. O.,
Silveira T. R.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of viral hepatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.329
H-Index - 100
eISSN - 1365-2893
pISSN - 1352-0504
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2893.2008.01033.x
Subject(s) - medicine , etiology , pediatrics , liver failure , liver transplantation , hepatitis a , acute hepatitis , hepatitis a virus , waiting list , hepatitis , surgery , transplantation , virus , immunology
Summary. We retrospectively analysed 33 children and adolescents who had been hospitalized in a liver transplant unit within the previous 10 years for acute liver failure (ALF). The patients’ age varied between 2 months and 15 years of age (median 6.2 ± 5.3), and 21 (63%) were male. Thirteen patients (39%) were immunoglobulin‐M anti‐hepatitis A virus (HAV) sero‐positive. Eleven cases (33%) had an undetermined aetiology. The 13 children with HAV ALF were between 17 months and 15.6 years of age (median 5.8 ± 4.6) and eight were male (61.5%). All were on a list for urgent liver transplant. Of these, five (38%) died while waiting for a liver. Only one patient recovered spontaneously. Seven patients received a liver transplant; three died in the immediate postoperative period and one died 45 days after transplant. Three children are alive 1, 2 and 5 years after transplant. We conclude that HAV was the most frequent cause of ALF, which had high mortality even when a liver transplant was possible. The results support universal HAV vaccination in this area.