Gynura segetum induces hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome in a child: A case report

Hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (HSOS), which includes hepatic stasis and portal hypertension, is a rare vascular disorder of the liver. It is often associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It is also possible to treat this disease using Chinese herbal medicines that contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs). This disease is extremely rare in children and poses a serious threat to their health. To our knowledge, this is the first case of HSOS in a child with PAs.

We report a 4-year-old boy suffering from abdominal pain, hepatomegaly, massive ascites, elevated liver enzyme level, and severe portal hypertension as a result of the consumption of Gynura segetum (also known as Tusanqi in Chinese, a traditional herbal medicine containing PAs).

The child was finally diagnosed with PA-HSOS based on pathological diagnosis and imaging examination.

With active symptomatic and supportive care and sequential anticoagulation therapy, the abdominal distension and liver function improved in the patient.

The patient was eventually recovered. The levels of liver enzymes, hemoglobin, and bilirubin were normal, and the international normalized ratio fluctuated between 2.0 and 3.0 during 1-year follow-up after discharge.

This case report emphasizes the prevention of Chinese herb-induced liver injury in children and the importance of active long-term sequential anticoagulant therapy to reduce the progressive damage of PA-HSOS in the liver.