Acute liver failure complicating viral hepatitis A

Abstract

Hepatitis A is one of the most frequent infectious liver diseases affecting children worldwide. The disease is usually mild and self-limited, and complications are very rare. Nevertheless, hepatitis A can sometimes cause acute liver failure (ALF), a severe, life-threatening condition. Herein is reported a case of a child who presented ALF during a course of hepatitis A. The need for early identification of possible ALF cases among hepatitis A patients, and for effective ways of evaluating such a possibility, are discussed. We also emphasize the importance of prevention measures, especially vaccination.

Clinical characteristics of acute liver failure associated with hepatitis A infection in children in Mogadishu, Somalia: a hospital-based retrospective study

“…The hepatitis A infection includes a wide range of clinical manifestations from asymptomatic disease to symptomatic diseases presents as jaundice, fever, malaise, anorexia, nausea, and abdominal discomfort. While a majority of Hepatitis A cases resolve spontaneously or with supportive treatments, about 0.1–0.4% of pediatric cases are complicated by acute liver failure, with a reported mortality rate in cases without access to liver transplantation is over 80% [ 7 ]. Pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is an extremely rare complication of Hepatitis A, one of the major causes, may require liver transplantation or result in death due to low transplant-free survival, which is of great concern due to its severe consequences [ 8 ].…”

Universal vaccination of children against hepatitis a in Chile: a cost-effectiveness study

“…For example, a single case of hepatitis A leading to liver transplantation can cost the healthcare provider thousands of dollars in Argentina. 4 There are also indirect costs associated with work absenteeism and lost productivity, which can add to the societal burden of hepatitis A. Targeted or routine vaccination against hepatitis A can be costeffective or even cost saving in some, but not all, situations (24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30).…”

Μεταβολές Του Βρογχοκυψελιδικού Εκπλύματος Κατά Την Αναισθησία Και Μετεγχειρητική Υποστήριξη Σε Πειραματικό Μοντέλο Οξείας Ηπατικής Ανεπάρκειας Σε Χοίρους

“…Η κλινική εξέταση μπορεί να αποκαλύψει μικρό, φυσιολογικό ή μεγάλο μέγεθος του ήπατος, ανάλογα με την αιτία της νόσου (1,11) . Ο ασθενής μπορεί επίσης να παρουσιάσει ασκίτη, αιμορραγία από το πεπτικό και από τους βλεννογόνους, σπληνομεγαλία και μεταβολές της συνείδησης (12,13) . Οι εργαστηριακές εξετάσεις θα πρέπει να περιλαμβάνουν έλεγχο των ηπατικών ενζύμων, της χολερυθρίνης, της γλυκόζης αίματος, του μηχανισμού πήξης καθώς και ιολογικό έλεγχο ιδιαίτερα για την ηπατίτιδα Β και στα παιδιά για την ηπατίτιδα Α (1,14) .…”