title: Spectrum of histopathological diagnosis in paediatric patients with liver disorders in Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document spectrum of paediatric liver disorders confirmed on liver biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospective review of patients was conducted at Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised data of all children who underwent ultrasound-guided percutaneous liver biopsy between December 2008 and June 2015. Frequency of individual diagnosis was assessed and compared on gender basis. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were medical records of 74 patients in the study with an overall median age of 6.9 years (interquartile range: 0.2-17.7 years). Metabolic 27(36.5%) and inflammatory 19(25.6%) disorders were the most common aetiologies. At presentation 29(39.1%) patients had cirrhosis; and 25(34%) children were <5 years of age. Metabolic disorders were the most common aetiology in children upto 10 years of age with 19(25.6%) patients. Above the age of 10 years, inflammatory disorders were more frequent and were seen in 10(13.5%). Based on gender, a trend towards significance was observed for metabolic disorders (p=0.08) and children who presented with cirrhosis (p= 0.07), but it was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Metabolic disorders were the most common cause of liver disorders. A number of children at presentation had underlying cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shifa International Hopsital, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Syeda Shaheera
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hashmi
authors.affiliation: Department of HPB and Liver Transplantation, Shifa International Hopsital, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Abu Bakar
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Hafeez Bhatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shifa International Hopsital, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Munir Iqbal
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shifa International Hopsital, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Atif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rana
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Shifa International Hopsital, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Humaira
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nasir
authors.affiliation: Department of HPB and Liver Transplantation, Shifa International Hopsital, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Faisal Saud
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Dar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Shifa International Hopsital, Islamabad.
authors.forename: Ejaz Ahmed
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords:  Cirrhosis, Biopsy, Liver, Metabolic disorders.