Evaluation of liver function tests in the paediatric patient

Abstract

Introduction: Although changes in liver function tests can be non-specific in numerous clinical conditions, they can be the first sign of a potentially serious disease in an asymptomatic patient.

Material and methods: Retrospective cohort study, performed by reviewing the records of children of a reference hospital central laboratory with alanine aminotransferase enzyme (ALT) elevation during a 6-month aleatory period.

Results: 572 blood tests with serum ALT elevation corresponding to 403 patients have been assessed during the period studied. 98 patients were excluded for presenting abnormal liver test before the study period of comorbidity that could produce ALT elevation. The remaining 305 patients, 22.6% were diagnosed with a medical condition during the first blood test that explained the ALT elevation, although only 33.3% of them were followed up until verifying their normalisation. Final study sample consists of 236 patients with abnormal liver test without apparent liver disease. Adequate follow-up was found only in 29% of them. From this group, 9 patients (13%) were diagnosed with liver disease. The rest of the samples were not properly monitored. In patients with higher serum ALT levels, follow-up was early and more appropriate.

Conclusions: In our area, most children without apparent liver disease are no properly monitored. Therefore, an opportunity to diagnosis and treat a potential liver disease was lost in a great number of children. All children with unexplained hypertransaminasaemia must be studied.

Keywords: Alanine aminotransferase enzyme; Asymptomatic hypertransaminasaemia; Enzima alanino aminotransferasa; Función hepática; Hipertransaminasemia asintomática; Hígado; Liver; Liver function.