Aetiologies and Outcomes of Acute Liver Failure in Children at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Rawalpindi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v76i3.7993Keywords:
Acute Liver Failure, Bilirubin Levels, Hepatitis A, SepticaemiaAbstract
Objective: To determine the different aetiologies and outcomes of acute liver failure in children at a tertiary care hospital in Rawalpindi.
Study Design: Cross sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pediatrics, Pak Emirates Military Hospital Rawalpindi, Pakistan from Aug 2020 to Sep 2021.
Methodology: One hundred and twenty-four patients who visited the Department of Pediatrics, and following the exclusion and inclusion criteria were included. Mean and standard deviations were assessed for quantitative variables including age. Percentages and frequencies were computed for qualitative variables.
Results: Out of 124 children, there were 98(79.03%) males and 26(20.97%) females, with a mean age of 5.58±3.63 years. The most common aetiologies were Hepatitis A (n=50, 40.32%) and septicemia (n=16, 12.9%). Eighty-four (68%) had acute presentation (7 to 28 days) while jaundice was observed in 104(84%) patients. There were 32(25.81%) deaths. The mean ALT levels were 1220±1165.52 U/L, mean PT levels were 29.98±9.30 seconds, mean INR levels were 2.8±0.9, mean total bilirubin levels were 22.86±16.11 mg/dl, and mean indirect bilirubin levels were 5.30±4.46 mg/dl. There were 32(25.81%) patients who died, and 92(74.10%) patients who had survived on supportive care.
Conclusion: Our study shows that infective aetiologies are the predominant causes of acute liver failure among Pakistani children.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Waleed Babar, Qudrat Ullah Malik, Farooq Ikram, Asbah Rehman, Junaid Bashir, Muzzammil Ghaffor
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