title: [Valproic acid-induced idiosyncratic liver injury in 4 cases].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children with refractory epilepsy who suffered from severe liver function impairment during valproic acid (VPA) treatment at routine dosage were studied. The clinical manifestations and therapeutic approaches were investigated in order to improve its diagnosis and management.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical information as well as features and management of 4 inpatients who were suffered from intractable epilepsy with severe liver function impairment induced by VPA since 2006 were collected and analyzed, including age of onset of epilepsy, VPA using age and the time when liver injury occurred, clinical manifestations, auxiliary examinations and management.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 4 cases, three were male and one was female. The admitted age ranged from 1 - 9 years and 1 month. The course of disease was 25 d - 6 months. They manifested as refractory epilepsy of epilepsia partialis continua which was difficult to control. After using VPA for 62 d (50 - 76 d), all developed severe impairment of liver synthetic function which was not related to the concentration of VPA. One was diagnosed with Alpers syndrome, two were suspicious of Alpers syndrome, and the other was diagnosed gliocytoma after brain biopsy. VPA was stopped immediately and symptomatic therapies were used. Other than that, intravenous injection of L-carnitine in 3 cases recovered the liver function.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VPA-associated severe hepatotoxicity can manifest first as impaired liver synthetic function. Besides alanin transaminase and aspartate transaminase, the liver synthetic function test is more important than monitoring of liver enzymatic functions in monitoring for the hepatotoxicity. Intravenous injection of L-carnitine in early stage showed good treatment effect.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Xiong
authors: Chen-tao
authors: CT
authors: Liu
authors: Yue-hua
authors: YH
authors: Zhang
authors: Xin-hua
authors: XH
authors: Bao
authors: Yu-wu
authors: YW
authors: Jiang
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Zhao
authors: Xiao-ping
authors: XP
authors: Wu
authors: Jiong
authors: J
authors: Qin
mesh_terms: D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D002549:Diffuse Cerebral Sclerosis of Schilder / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014635:Valproic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D015415:Biomarkers; D014635:Valproic Acid; D002331:Carnitine