Clinical implications of hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid detection and genotyping in acute liver failure in children in Argentina.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the detection of hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid in patients with acute liver failure and to assess if the results have any clinical implications for the evolution of acute liver failure in children. Hepatitis A infection, a vaccine-preventable disease, is an important cause of acute liver failure in children in Argentina. Universal vaccination in 1-yr-old children was implemented in June 2005.


METHODS
Observational study in which patients were divided into Group 1 consisting of positive hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid and Group 2 consisting of negative hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid.


METHODS
Pediatric intensive care unit in National Pediatric Hospital "Dr. J. P. Garrahan," Buenos Aires, Argentina.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with the diagnosis of acute liver failure secondary to hepatitis A virus infection and admitted to the Garrahan Pediatric Hospital between September 2003 and September 2005 were enrolled in the study. Twenty of these children were admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Samples for total ribonucleic acid detection and genotyping were obtained from serum and/or stools on admission. We found positive hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid in 13 patients and negative hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid in 20 patients. The following clinical variables were evaluated: time of evolution, hospital stay, admission to the pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric intensive care unit stay, time on mechanical ventilation, criteria for orthotopic liver transplantation, and mortality. Characterization of the isolates did not reveal differences related to genotype; all cases were IA. No statistical significance was found as to the variables. However, positive hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid showed lower percentages of pediatric intensive care unit admissions, criteria for orthotopic liver transplantation, number of orthotopic liver transplantation, and mortality than the group of patients with negative hepatitis A virus ribonucleic acid.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis A virus genotyping studies did not show any particularities, all cases were IA and, thus, apparent associations between genotype and the clinical presentation of acute liver failure could not be found.
Sasbón
Jorge S
JS
Liver Transplant and Intensive Care Unit, Hospital de Pediatría Dr. J. P. Garrahan, Buenos Aires, Argentina. jsasbon@garrahan.gov.ar
Buamscha
Daniel
D
Gianivelli
Silvina
S
Imventarza
Oscar
O
Devictor
Denis
D
Moreiro
Rita
R
Cambaceres
Carlos
C
Salip
Gonzalo
G
Ciocca
Mirta
M
Cuarterolo
Miriam
M
Vladimirsky
Sara
S
Otegui
Lucio
L
Castro
Raúl
R
Brajterman
Leonardo
L
Soto
Sonia
S
González
Jorge
J
Munné
María S
MS
D000293:Adolescent; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006506:Hepatitis A / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D030041:Hepatitis A virus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015278:Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; D017114:Liver Failure, Acute / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D019370:Observation; D012313:RNA / Q000097:blood*
D012313:RNA