Norden Christoph, Malham Mikkel, Nordly Sannie, Grosen Dorthe, Kvistgaard Helene, Kjaer Mette S, Brix Christensen Vibeke
The Paediatric Department, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark.
Hans Christian Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense, Denmark.
Acta Paediatr. 2020 Dec;109(12):2694-2698. doi: 10.1111/apa.15403. Epub 2020 Jul 1.
The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics in children with either chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Denmark.
In this observational study, children and adolescents with either chronic HBV or HCV infection followed at the largest paediatric departments in Denmark between 2001 and 2013 were included. Data collection included as well epidemiological data as clinical data like virus genotype, viral load, serological markers, liver biochemistry, liver elastography and histology if available.
The study included 131 children. None of the patients had decreased liver function or end-stage liver disease during follow-up. Ten of the 18 children who underwent liver biopsy had signs of fibrosis. Thirteen (11%) children with HBV and one (7%) child with HCV received treatment. Different indications and different treatment regimens were used.
This study confirms that chronic HBV and HCV infections are often mild diseases during childhood. Nevertheless, children are at higher risk of serious liver disease early in life because of the early time of infection and probably also because of the high viral loads.
本研究旨在描述丹麦慢性乙型肝炎病毒（HBV）或丙型肝炎病毒（HCV）感染儿童的流行病学和临床特征。
在这项观察性研究中，纳入了2001年至2013年间在丹麦最大的儿科部门接受随访的慢性HBV或HCV感染儿童及青少年。数据收集包括流行病学数据以及临床数据，如病毒基因型、病毒载量、血清学标志物、肝脏生化指标、肝脏弹性成像以及如有可用的组织学数据。
该研究纳入了131名儿童。在随访期间，没有患者出现肝功能下降或终末期肝病。18名接受肝活检的儿童中有10名有纤维化迹象。13名（11%）HBV感染儿童和1名（7%）HCV感染儿童接受了治疗。采用了不同的治疗指征和不同的治疗方案。
本研究证实，慢性HBV和HCV感染在儿童期通常为轻度疾病。然而，由于感染时间早，可能还由于病毒载量高，儿童在生命早期患严重肝病的风险更高。
