04 June 2022 : Editorial
Editorial: Acute Hepatitis of Unknown Origin in Children. Is Autoimmunity at Play?
Nahum Mendez-Sanchez12CDEF*, Shreya C. Pal1CDEFDOI: 10.12659/MSM.937371
Med Sci Monit 2022; 28:e937371
Table 1 The main clinical characteristics, patient presentation, biochemical and viral serology findings in children presenting with acute hepatitis of unknown origin.
| Acute hepatitis in children of unknown cause | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical characteristics | Biochemical properties | Histopathological findings | Viral serologies |
| Jaundice (71.2%) | Mild hepatocellular injury | Negative for Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E | |
| Vomiting (62.7%) | Established criterion: serum transaminase >500 IU/L (AST or ALT) | Massive hepatic necrosis | Adenovirus F 41 (positive) – around 70% |
| Acholia (50.0%) | Various degrees of hepatitis with no viral inclusions | COVID-19 (positive) – around 18% | |
| AT PRESENTATION: GI SYMPTOMS | Other positive serologies: | ||
| Diarrhea (44.9%) | |||
| Nausea (30.5%) | |||
| AT PRESENTATION: RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS (18.6%) | |||
| Others: fatigue, choluria, anorexia, abdominal pain | |||
| AST – alanine aminotransferase; ALT – aspartate aminotransferase. | |||