Risk factors and regularity of transaminase elevation associated with primary Epstein-Barr virus infection in children

Abstract

Objective: To explore the risk factors and regularity of pediatric primary Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection accompanied with elevated transaminase. Methods: Clinical data of 399 children diagnosed as primary EBV infection in the outpatient department, Children's Hospital of Fudan University from September 2016 to October 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the potential correlations between elevated alanine transaminase (ALT) or aspartate transaminase (AST) and age, gender, course of fever and plasma EBV-DNA load. The cumulative rates of elevated transaminase recovery to nomal at different times were caculated. Results: Among 399 children diagnosed with primary EBV infection, there were 219 males and 180 females. The age was (4.2±2.7) years. Among all cases, 51.9% (207/399) had elevated transaminase. In patients who had elevated ALT, 74.5% (149/200), 21.0% (42/200) and 4.5% (9/200) had mild (40-160 U/L), moderate (160-400 U/L) and severe (>400 U/L) elevation of ALT, respectively. In patients who had elevated AST, 83.8% (155/185), 11.9% (22/185) and 4.3% (8/185) had mild (40-160 U/L), moderate (160-400 U/L) and severe (>400 U/L) elevation of AST, respectively. Only age was correlated with the occurrence of elevated transaminase (OR=1.13, 1.10, both P<0.05). A total of 167 repeated tests were ordered in patients with elevated ALT and/or AST, including 113 cases with elevated ALT and 104 cases with elevated AST. The time of ALT and AST returned to normal were (24±13) days and (25±18) days respectively. The cumulative rates for ALT returned to normal within 1, 1-<4, 4-<8 weeks and more than 8 weeks were 2.7% (3/113), 54.0% (61/113), 79.6% (90/113) and 81.4% (92/113) respectively, and were 1.9% (2/104), 48.1% (50/104), 71.2% (74/104) and 74.0% (77/104) for AST. Conclusions: Age is a risk factor for transaminase elevation associated with primary EBV infection in children. The transaminases returned to normal within 3 weeks in half of the cases, and within 8 weeks in most cases.