MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY ASSESSMENT IN ACUTE HEPATITIS-E.

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Hepatitis-E is an enterically transmitted virus causing acute hepatitis, often self-limiting but potentially fatal in high-risk groups.
• Pakistan faces endemic Hepatitis-E, yet published literature on mortality predictors remains limited.
• This study aimed to identify factors predicting mortality in acute Hepatitis-E patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate predictors of mortality in patients diagnosed with acute Hepatitis-E.
• To assess the impact of pre-existing chronic liver disease, pregnancy, and viral co-infections on Hepatitis-E related mortality.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 369 adult Hepatitis-E patients admitted between January 1996 and December 2010.
• Collected data included laboratory results, clinical course, complications (e.g., fulminant hepatic failure), and mortality.
• Evaluated determinants of mortality across key patient subgroups.

Main Results:

• Out of 369 patients, 326 (88.3%) recovered. Ten (2.7%) patients with pre-existing chronic liver disease expired (p<0.001).
• Five (1.4%) pregnant patients died (gestational age mean 29.19 weeks), with no statistically significant increased risk (p=0.23).
• Hepatitis-E patients with other hepatotropic virus co-infections (15.7%) did not show an increased mortality risk.

Conclusions:

• Pre-existing chronic liver disease is a significant predictor of mortality in Hepatitis-E patients.
• Pregnancy and co-infection with other hepatotropic viruses were not found to be determinants of mortality in this cohort.
• Findings highlight the critical importance of managing chronic liver disease in Hepatitis-E patients to reduce mortality.