Increase in liver caudate lobe among children: clinical and laboratory features

Abstract

Objective. To identify the presence of clinical and laboratory features in children and adolescents with an increase in the caudate lobe of the liver according to ultrasound data.
 Materials and methods. The observation group included 37 children and adolescents with enlarged liver caudate lobe (CL) at the age of 8.1 ± 0.67 years, the comparison group included 38 children and adolescents aged 9.2 ± 0.68 years. A comparative analysis of the data of anamnesis, complaints, objective examination, laboratory and ultrasound examinations was performed.
 Results. An increase in the size of liver CL was detected with equal frequency in children of both sexes (p = 0.51) without relation to age (p = 0.18). There were no specific complaints characteristic for increased size of the CL. In children with enlarged CL of the liver, obesity (p = 0.034), diffuse changes in the pancreas (p = 0.01), increased activity of AST and GGT (p = 0.025) and a higher average blood leukocyte content (p = 0.04) was registered significantly more often.
 Conclusions. An isolated increase in liver CL requires a more detailed assessment of the state of the liver and the general health of a child.