Authors: Poovorawan, Yong¹; Hutagalung, Yanee²; Chongsrisawat, Voranush¹; Boudville, Irving²; Bock, Hans²

Source: Annals of Tropical Paediatrics: International Child Health, Volume 26, Number 1, March 2006 , pp. 17-23(7)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

Abstract:

Background: Acute hepatic failure (AHF) can be caused by a variety of viruses, drugs, toxins and metabolic disorders.

Aims: A prospective study was conducted to determine the aetiology and outcome of AHF in Thai children aged 1–15 years.

Methods: All serum samples were tested for anti-HAV IgM, HBsAg, anti-HBc IgM, anti-HCV, anti-HEV IgM and anti-dengue IgG and IgM. Further individual investigations were done according to the clinical impression.

Results: Forty subjects were enrolled from 14 centres during February 2000 to December 2001. Five cases were excluded owing to a lack of evidence of encephalopathy. The causes of AHF were dengue infection in 12 (34.3%), Wilson disease in 2 (5.7%), T-cell lymphoma in 2 (5.7%), ischaemic hepatitis in two (5.7%), haemophagocytic syndrome in one (2.8%), CMV in 2 (5.7%), Reye syndrome in one (2.8%) and unknown in 13 (37.1%) patients. The fatality rate was 68.6%. Eight of 24 (33.3%) deaths were caused by dengue infection.

Conclusions: Improvements in sanitation and socio-economic status as well as the implementation of hepatitis B vaccine in the Extended Programme on Immunization (EPI) are likely to be the reasons for the observed absence of AHF caused by hepatitis A and B. The study showed that dengue infection, on the other hand, was a major cause of AHF in Thailand.

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/146532806X90565

Affiliations: 1: Center of Excellence in Viral Hepatitis Research, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand 2: GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Rixensart, Belgium

Publication date: 2006-03-01

More about this publication?

• In 2012 Annals of Tropical Paediatrics changed its name to Paediatrics and International Child Health to reflect changes and developments in the subject area. View the issues of Paediatrics and International Child Health available online.
• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Submit a Paper
• Subscribe to this Title
• Information for Advertisers
• Terms & Conditions
• Top articles
• Health Science Spotlight
• Abstracted in
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• In this Subject: Internal Medicine ,  Pediatrics
• By this author: Poovorawan, Yong ;  Hutagalung, Yanee ;  Chongsrisawat, Voranush ;  Boudville, Irving ;  Bock, Hans

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers