title: Aetiology and prognostic factors in acute liver failure in India.
abstract: The early prognostic indicators for acute liver failure in endemic zones for hepatitis E virus have not been determined. All consecutive patients with acute liver failure from a geographically defined region endemic for hepatitis E virus were studied over the period April 1989-April 1996. Demographic, clinical and biochemical parameters were recorded at presentation and serum samples were analysed for known viral hepatitis (A-E) markers. Multiple parameters were compared in survivors and non-survivors in a univariate analysis. All significant factors on univariate analysis were entered into a stepwise logistic regression analysis to identify independent variables of prognosis. The sensitivity and specificity of significant prognostic factors was then assessed. A total of 180 [69 males and 111 females: age (mean +/- SD) 31.1 +/- 14.7 years] with acute liver failure were studied. Of these, 131 (72.8%) patients died. Hepatitis E virus was the aetiological cause in 79 (43.9%) patients, while hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and non-A, non-E agent/'s could be incriminated in four (2.1%), 25 (13.9%), 13 (7.2%) and 56 (31.1%) patients respectively. Of 83 women in childbearing age, 49 (59.0%) were pregnant, 33 (67.3%) of these were in the third trimester. Forty-seven (95.8%) pregnant women had HEV infection. Nine variables differed significantly between survivors and non-survivors on univariate analysis. Of these, four variables which predicted the adverse outcome on multivariate analysis were non-hepatitis-E aetiology, prothrombin time >30 s, grade of coma >2 and age >40 years in that order of significance. Pregnancy per se or duration of gestation did not adversely affect the prognosis. In endemic areas, hepatitis E virus is the commonest cause of acute liver failure. Acute liver failure occurs in a high proportion of pregnant women, mostly in third trimester. Early predictors of a poor outcome are non-E aetiology, prothrombin time >30 s, grade of coma >2 and age >40 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar Kashmir, India. khuroo@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Khuroo
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamili
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D016751:Hepatitis E / Q000150:complications; D016752:Hepatitis E virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000821:virology; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity