Abstract
Objective: To study the etiology, outcome and Encephalopathy grade 3 was most common in 30
risk factors for Fulminant Hepatic Failure (FHF) in (37.50%), and grade 2 in 25 (31.25%). Forty five
children at a tertiary care hospital, Sukkur. (56.25%) patients expired. Patients with bilirubin
Methodology: Retrospective review of patients 13.0±8.0 mg/dl vs 6.7±3.3 mg/dl recovered. ALT
1-14years, admitted with FHF from July 2007 to was lower in expired patients 467±381 IU/L vs
June 2012, at Pediatric department of Ghulam 1834.3±1550.2 IU/L in recovered children. 45
Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital (52%) expired with INR of 4 or more. The risk
Sukkur. Fulminant hepatic failure was defined as factors of FHF patients were grade 3 or 4
coagulopathy (PT > 20 sec or INR > 2) with or encephalopathy, high bilirubin, low ALT and INR
without hepatic encephalopathy within 8 weeks of >4.
the onset of symptoms. Conclusion: HAV and HBV were the most
Results: Eighty patients with FHF (50 males and common etiologic agents of FHF. Children with
30 females) were admitted in our Pediatric FHF, high grade encephalopathy, high bilirubin,
department. The most common cause of FHF was low ALT and INR >4 had poor outcome. (Rawal
viral hepatitis in 62 (77.5%) and in 11 (13.75%) Med J 2013;38: 219-222).
cases etiology was not established. Among 62 Keywords: Fulminant hepatic failure, etiology,
cases of viral hepatitis, HAV was found in 50 outcome, risk factors and children.
(80.65%), and HBV in 11 (17.74%).
