[Diagnosis of cholestasis in acute viral hepatitis in childhood (author's transl)].

Over a period of three years all children with acute viral hepatitis (n = 167) were examined for the presence of the abnormal lipoprotein X(LPX). Positive results could be found in 96% of patients with hepatitis A and in 82% of hepatitis B. A good correlation of LPX was ascertained with cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids, bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and immunoglobulin M. Control after 29 days in hepatitis A and 46 days in hepatitis B showed absence of LPX and normal pattern of lipoprotein-electrophoresis. Enzyme activities were slightly elevated, lipids and immunoglobulin M remained above upper normal range. In acute phase of viral hepatitis lipoprotein X is the most specific test in determining the presence of cholestasis, but in views on course of disease serum-lipids and immunoglobulin M have a similar sensitivity like enzyme patterns.