Hepatitis in children hospitalized with measles: The experience acquired after a Greek epidemic

Objective: In childhood, hepatitis is an uncommon and ill-defined complicat ion of measles. We studied prospectively the prevalence of hepatitis in 189 children with measles, admitted to hospital during a measles epidemic in G reece. Methodology: Diagnosis of measles was based on clinical features and a four fold rise of the haemagglutination inhibiting antibody titre, while liver i mpairment was based on a twofold or greater increase in Liver enzymes. Results: Nine children (4.8%) had increased liver enzymes. Hepatitis was no t related to the duration and severity of fever or the coexistence of other complications, and in all children but one, was subclinical and resolved r apidly. One child with mental retardation who was being treated with anti-e pileptic therapy and had normal liver enzymes prior to measles, developed h epatic coma from which he recovered 1 month later. Conclusions: Liver involvement in childhood measles is rare and transient b ut it may be severe in children receiving hepatotoxic drugs.