http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18825678
Indian Pediatr. 2012 Nov 5. pii: S097475591200142. [Epub ahead of print]

Etiology and Prognostic Factors of Acute Liver Failure in Children.

Kaur S, Kumar P, Kumar V, Sarin SK, Kumar A.

Source: Department of Paediatrics, Kalawati Saran Childrens Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India; and **Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, Delhi, India. Correspondence to: Dr Praveen Kumar, Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India. pkpaed@gmail.com; kumardrpraveen@rediffmail.com.

Abstract

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life threatening condition characterized by jaundice, encephalopathy and coagulopathy leading to multiorgan failure in a patient with no prior history of liver disease. Forty three consecutive patients of ALF admitted in Pediatric ICU were studied for etiology and prognostic factors. Etiology was established in 91% cases. Viral infections were the most common cause. Mortality rate was 44%. Increasing grade of encephalopathy, >;7 days interval between the onset of prodromal symptoms and encephalopathy, blood glucose ?45mg/dL, serum bilirubin >; 10mg/dL and pH <7.35 or >;7.45 on admission were found to be associated with increased risk of mortality.

PMID: 23255683 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]