Acquired aplastic anaemia in seven children with severe hepatitis with or without liver failure

AIM: Aplastic anaemia following hepatitis may develop in as many as 1 of 3 patients with non-A, non-B and non-C hepatitis. Several causative factors have been discussed, such as viral infections and autoimmunity. Here we describe the natural history of this condition in 7 children and investigate possible hepatitis-causing agents. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records, bone marrow and liver biopsies of 7 children with severe hepatitis, with or without liver failure, who subsequently had developed aplastic anaemia. RESULTS: The median time from onset of hepatic symptoms until diagnosed onset of aplasia was 54 days. No associated viral infections could be identified. On liver biopsy, a majority had lobular inflammation but lacked signs of autoimmune hepatitis, findings compatible with a viral aetiology. Three of 6 children had low reticulocyte counts already at onset of hepatitis. All, but one patient is alive at median follow-up of 8 years. CONCLUSION: The unknown pathogenetic mechanism appears to target liver and bone marrow simultaneously, because half of the children concomitantly had low reticulocyte counts and severe liver failure.