Pediatric acute liver failure: An experience of a pediatric intensive care unit from resource limited settings

Abstract

Pediatric acute liver failure is caused by varied etiologies and infections were the commonest cause. Despite having a seriously ill cohort of patients, medical management resulted in spontaneous regeneration in the majority of children with acute liver failure. The use of inotropes, advanced hepatic encephalopathy, and peak alanine transaminase were predictors of poor outcome in children with acute liver failure and these patients could be considered for liver transplantation as available. Therefore, we may need to develop better predictors of pediatric acute liver failure in resource limited settings.