Table 2.
Laboratory parameters and ultrasound of the studied patients
| Item | Total (n = 42) | Group 1 Acute hepatitis of unknown etiology (n = 24) Mean ± SD |
Group 2 Acute hepatitis of identified etiology (n = 18) Mean ± SD |
P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WBCs (× 1000/mm3) | 8.308 ± 5.3905 | 7.684 ± 4.1990 | 9.139 ± 6.7041 | 0.393 |
| Hemoglobin (gm/dl) | 12.515 ± 2.5410 | 12.683 ± 2.6563 | 12.300 ± 2.4442 | 0.638 |
| Platelets (× 1000/mm3) | 177.42 ± 82.911 | 175.56 ± 86.112 | 179.89 ± 80.842 | 0.869 |
| Total bilirubin (umol/l) median (IQR) | 221.3 (287) | 231.2 (240) | 163.5 (295) | 0.127 |
| Albumin (g/l) | 30.564 ± 7.7973 | 30.583 ± 7.9941 | 30.539 ± 7.7568 | 0.986 |
| ALT (IU/L) median (IQR) | 658.5 (753.5) | 785.5 (860) | 419.5 (658.5) | 0.409 |
| AST (IU/L) median (IQR) | 575.5 (494.2) | 718 (498) | 477 (572) | 0.578 |
| ALP (IU/L) median (IQR) | 188.5 (139) | 203.5 (181) | 163 (78) | 0.146 |
| Prothrombin time (sec.) | 20.033 ± 8.9170 | 20.296 ± 10.0706 | 19.683 ± 7.3708 | 0.829 |
| INR | 1.773 ± 0.8746 | 1.772 ± .9839 | 1.775 ± .731 | 0.992 |
| Creatinine (umol/l) median (IQR) | 70.7 (22.8) | 70.7 (21.5) | 63.5 (44.1) | 0.930 |
| Liver ultrasound | ||||
| Normal | 23 (54.8%) | 13 (54.2%) | 10 (55.6%) | 0.896 |
| Fatty liver | 1 (2.4%) | 1 (4.2%) | 0 (0%) | |
| Hepatomegaly | 5 (11.9%) | 3 (12.5%) | 2 (11.1%) | |
| Hepatosplenomegaly | 3 (7.1%) | 2 (8.3%) | 1 (5.6%) | |
| Cirrhosis | 10 (23.8%) | 5 (20.8%) | 5 (27.8%) |
WBCs white blood cells, ALT alanine aminotransferase (normal: 0–45 IU/L); AST aspartate aminotransferase (normal: 0–34 IU/L); ALP alkaline phosphatase (normal: 46–116); INR international normalized ratio