Abstract :
Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rapidly progressive, potentially fatal syndrome resulting from rapid death or injury to a large proportion of hepatocytes, caused by a variety of insult, leaving insufficient hepatic parenchymal mass to sustain liver function. The aetiology of ALF varies according to the age of patient and development of the country. The outcome of ALF also varies according to aetiology: survival is better in paracetamol poisoning whereas it is poor in metabolic diseases.
Objective: The present study was undertaken to observe the underlying aetiology and outcome of ALF in children under 16 years of age admitted at the department of Paediatric Gastroenterology & Nutrition, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Methods: It was a retrospective review of medical records from November 2013 through February 2016.
Results: During this period a total of 55 patients were diagnosed to have ALF. Aetiology was established in 42 (76.4%) cases. Wilson’s Disease (WD) was found in 23 (41.8%) cases, Viral hepatitis in 17 (30.9%), where as no identifiable cause was found in 13(23.6%) cases. After treatment 21 (38.2%) ALF patients survived, 17 (30.9%) left hospital with risk bond (DORB), and 17 (30.9%) patients died. The study showed that among the 17 death patients, 8 (29.4%) had viral hepatitis, 7 (41.2%) Wilson’s disease, and in 5 (29.4 %) no cause could be identified.
Conclusion: Wilson’s disease was found as the most common causes of Acute Liver Failure, around 38% cases of acute liver failure survived with supportive management in this study.Future studies with larger sample size are required to know the actual causes&outcome of acute liver failure in children.
Keyword :
Paediatric Acute liver failure, aetiology, children, out come