Clinical characteristics of Chinese children with liver function test abnormalities: A single-center retrospective study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives: To study the clinical features of Chinese children with liver function test abnormalities to provide a reference for early clinical diagnosis and timely treatment. Methods: This retrospective single-center cohort study included 133 children with unknown liver function abnormalities, who were hospitalized from January 2020 to December 2021 at Taizhou municipal hospital, and analyzed their clinical characteristics, etiology, and prognosis. Results: Among the 133 children with abnormal liver function in this study, 68 were male (51.13%) and 65 were female (48.87%). The abnormal liver function was related to age, and it was most common in infants aged 0–12 months. Among the etiologies of the primary diseases, liver dysfunction caused by acute respiratory tract infection was the most common, followed by pathogenic infections, including virual, bacterial, mycoplasma, and chlamydia infections, with virual and bacterial infections being most common. Alanine aminotransferase was elevated in children with liver dysfunction, and the severity of liver dysfunction differed with different causes. Children with abnormal liver function only showed the manifestations of the primary disease. Sex and age did not affect abnormal liver function. Medical histories of implicated agents before hospital admission were reported in 72.39% of children; however, intrinsic etiologies were the main cause of abnormal liver function rather than the implicated agents. Conclusion This retrospective single-center cohort study showed that routine liver function testing in children is important, especially for infants aged <12 months. Intrinsic etiologies were the main cause of liver dysfunction, and other factors should be detected and treated early. The etiological and liver protection treatments can ensure effective prevention and treatment of liver injury.