Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis A

Introduction: Hepatitis A is the most common form of acute viral hepatitis worldwide, especially in children. The clinical severity of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection varies from an asymptomatic infection to a fulminant disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate characteristics of pediatric...

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Main Authors: Bilge Cetinkaya, Hasan Tezer, Aslinur Özkaya Parlakay, Tulin Revide Sayli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries 2014-03-01
Series:Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
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Online Access:https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/4057
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author Bilge Cetinkaya
Hasan Tezer
Aslinur Özkaya Parlakay
Tulin Revide Sayli
author_facet Bilge Cetinkaya
Hasan Tezer
Aslinur Özkaya Parlakay
Tulin Revide Sayli
author_sort Bilge Cetinkaya
collection DOAJ
description Introduction: Hepatitis A is the most common form of acute viral hepatitis worldwide, especially in children. The clinical severity of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection varies from an asymptomatic infection to a fulminant disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate characteristics of pediatric patients diagnosed with HAV infection. Methodology: Patients younger than 18 years of age admitted between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2011 to our hospital, an important reference center located in the middle part of Turkey, diagnosed as having hepatitis A were evaluated. Results: Of 427 patients, 49.4% were female and 50.6% were male. Hospitalization rate of the patients was 28.3%. The reason for hospitalization was vomitting in 58.7% of the patients and abdominal pain in 28%. The mean time of hospitalization was 5.2 ± 4.5 (1–40) days. There was no significant difference in hospitalization time by age. Vomiting and abdominal pain were significantly more common, and PT and aPTT levels were significantly elevated in patients with elevated AST and ALT levels over 1000 IU/L (p < 0.001). PT elevation was present in 15.2% of the patients, aPTT elevation in 11.9%, leukopenia in 16.6%, and thrombocytopenia in 2.6%. In terms of atypical course, four patients (0.9%) had cholestatic hepatitis, one had recurrent hepatitis, and one had fulminant hepatitis, yet no mortality was observed. Conclusions: Atypical courses of hepatitis A were more scarce in pediatric patients, but careful follow-up of patients with AST and ALT levels > 1000 IU/L is necessary.
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spelling doaj-art-81a05b0e9e714441a1301c1efef2e50e2025-08-20T02:27:20ZengThe Journal of Infection in Developing CountriesJournal of Infection in Developing Countries1972-26802014-03-0180310.3855/jidc.4057Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis ABilge Cetinkaya0Hasan Tezer1Aslinur Özkaya Parlakay2Tulin Revide Sayli3Ankara Hematology Oncology Children’s Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, TurkeyPediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, TurkeyAnkara Hematology Oncology Children’s Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, TurkeyAnkara Hematology Oncology Children’s Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, TurkeyIntroduction: Hepatitis A is the most common form of acute viral hepatitis worldwide, especially in children. The clinical severity of the hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection varies from an asymptomatic infection to a fulminant disease. In this study, we aimed to evaluate characteristics of pediatric patients diagnosed with HAV infection. Methodology: Patients younger than 18 years of age admitted between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2011 to our hospital, an important reference center located in the middle part of Turkey, diagnosed as having hepatitis A were evaluated. Results: Of 427 patients, 49.4% were female and 50.6% were male. Hospitalization rate of the patients was 28.3%. The reason for hospitalization was vomitting in 58.7% of the patients and abdominal pain in 28%. The mean time of hospitalization was 5.2 ± 4.5 (1–40) days. There was no significant difference in hospitalization time by age. Vomiting and abdominal pain were significantly more common, and PT and aPTT levels were significantly elevated in patients with elevated AST and ALT levels over 1000 IU/L (p < 0.001). PT elevation was present in 15.2% of the patients, aPTT elevation in 11.9%, leukopenia in 16.6%, and thrombocytopenia in 2.6%. In terms of atypical course, four patients (0.9%) had cholestatic hepatitis, one had recurrent hepatitis, and one had fulminant hepatitis, yet no mortality was observed. Conclusions: Atypical courses of hepatitis A were more scarce in pediatric patients, but careful follow-up of patients with AST and ALT levels > 1000 IU/L is necessary. https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/4057hepatitis Apediatricfulminantcholestatic
spellingShingle Bilge Cetinkaya
Hasan Tezer
Aslinur Özkaya Parlakay
Tulin Revide Sayli
Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis A
Journal of Infection in Developing Countries
hepatitis A
pediatric
fulminant
cholestatic
title Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis A
title_full Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis A
title_fullStr Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis A
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis A
title_short Evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis A
title_sort evaluation of pediatric patients with hepatitis a
topic hepatitis A
pediatric
fulminant
cholestatic
url https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/4057
work_keys_str_mv AT bilgecetinkaya evaluationofpediatricpatientswithhepatitisa
AT hasantezer evaluationofpediatricpatientswithhepatitisa
AT aslinurozkayaparlakay evaluationofpediatricpatientswithhepatitisa
AT tulinrevidesayli evaluationofpediatricpatientswithhepatitisa