Rational approach to a child with elevated aminotransferases

Autori:

Oleg Jadrešin, Danijela Petković Ramadža, Alemka Jaklin Kekez, Goran Tešović, Orjena Žaja

Sažetak
Spektar kroničnih bolesti jetre u djece razlikuje se od onih u odrasloj dobi, s udjelom rijetkih genetskih i metaboličkih bolesti od čak 20 – 30%. Patološki nalaz jetrenih enzima u svakog djeteta zahtjeva kontrolu nalaza unutar dva do tri tjedna i dodatnu obradu u slučaju trajno povišenih nalaza. Nakon isključenja mišićnog podrijetla povišenih aminotransferaza preporučuje se učiniti inicijalnu obradu (serologija na hepatotropne viruse, procjena sintetske funkcije jetre, ultrazvuk abdomena), a u slučaju kliničke sumnje na određenu bolest ili stanje potrebno je učiniti specifične pretrage u cilju otkrivanja etiologije bolesti. Najčešći uzrok prolaznog povišenja jetrenih enzima u dječjoj dobi jest virusna infekcija koja u pravilu ne uzrokuje klinički značajnu jetrenu bolest. Od početka obrade potrebno je razmišljati o bolestima za koje je dostupno specifično liječenje (medikamentozno, dijetoterapija), isključiti kronični virusni hepatitis, a ovisno o dobi djeteta i autoimunosnu bolest jetre, celijakiju i Wilsonovu bolest. U dječjoj dobi (posebice dojenačkoj) potrebno je u diferencijalnu dijagnozu uključiti i nasljedne metaboličke bolesti, pogotovo ako se bolest manifestira krizama s hipoglikemijom, ketoacidozom, laktacidozom ili hiperamonijemijom, odnosno ako ima rekurentni tijek. Iako je najčešći uzrok produljenog povišenja aminotransferaza u dječjoj dobi masna bolest jetre vezana uz metaboličku disfunkciju, u preuhranjene djece potrebno je također isključiti moguću drugu pridruženu kroničnu bolest jetre (celijakija, autoimunosna bolest jetre, Wilsonova bolest, nedostatak alfa-1 antitripsina).
Summary

Etiology of chronic liver diseases in children differs from adults, with up to 20-30% of rare genetic and metabolic disorders. A child with elevated liver enzymes needs to be cautiously followed, blood tests need to be repeated within 2-3 week interval and further diagnostics should be done in case of persistence of elevated transaminases. After exclusion of muscular origin of aminotransferases initial evaluation should include serology to hepatotropic viruses, liver synthetic function tests, and abdominal ultrasound. In the case of clinical suspicion further specific investigations should be done as well. Viral infections are the most frequent causes of transient
aminotransferase elevation in children. When evaluating persisting pathologic liver tests treatable diseases (with pharmaco- or dietotherapy) should always be excluded and chronic viral hepatitis, autoimmune liver disease, celiac disease and Wilson’s disease should be searched for. In infancy differential diagnosis should always include inherited metabolic diseases. They should also be considered beyond infancy, especially if hypertransaminasemia is episodic, or if there is a history of metabolic crises accompanied by hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis and hyperammonemia or the course is recurrent. Although metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease is the most common cause of prolonged elevation of aminotransferases in children, concomitant chronic liver disease
should be excluded in overweight children as well (autoimmune liver disease, celiac disease, Wilson’s disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency).