Frequency of Intra-hepatic Factors Responsible for Portal Hypertension in Children

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of intra-hepatic factors responsible for portal hyperten-
sion in children.
Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional Study which was conducted from 1st July
2016 to 30th June 2018 in the department of pediatric medicine, Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Rahim
Yar Khan. Fourty Nine children fulfilling inclusion criteria were included and excluded if they have
portal vein thrombosis on Doppler USG/CT scan and not willing for liver biopsy. Ultrasonography
abdomen was done in each patient. Eye examination was done to look for KF rings if indicated.
Relevant laboratory test were also done. After this liver biopsy was done in patients where other
investigations were inconclusive and was sent to for histopathology for presence or absence of
intra-hepatic factors responsible for portal hypertension in children.
Results: Mean age was 8.73±3.90 years. Out of the 49 patients, 27(55.10%) were male and
1.2:2 male to female ratio. In my study, intra-hepatic etiology of portal hypertension in children
was cryptogenic cirrhosis 34.6.%, Wilson's disease in 32.6%, autoimmune hepatitis in 10.2%,
congenital hepatic fibrosis 8.1%, biliary artesia in 8.1% and viral hepatitis in 6.1% patients.
Conclusions: This study concluded that most common intra-hepatic cause of portal hyperte-
nsion in pediatric age group was cryptogenic (idiopathic) cirrhosis followed by Wilson's disease,
autoimmune hepatitis , biliary artesia, congenital hepatic fibrosis, and viral hepatitis