Clinicohistological correlation of etiological spectrum of chronic liver disease diagnosed during noncirrhotic stages in children: Can need of liver biopsy be obviated?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Limited data exist regarding the etiological spectrum of the subset of chronic liver diseases (CLDs) diagnosed in noncirrhotic states in children. Our primary objective was to study the clinicoetiological profile of CLDs detected in noncirrhotic stages in children younger than 12 years of age. The secondary objective was to find the hepatic histological correlation of provisional diagnosis by different ranks of doctors. METHODS: This was an observational epidemiological study, cross‐sectional in design, conducted in a tertiary‐care setting over a 2‐year period. RESULTS: Thirty‐seven cases were enrolled, with a mean ± SD age of 8 ± 4.1 years and a male:female ratio of 1.8:1. Etiologies noted were Wilson disease (n = 8), autoimmune hepatitis (n = 4), secondary hemochromatosis (n = 4), chronic hepatitis B (n = 3), chronic hepatitis C (n = 2), non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (n = 2), progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (n = 2), extrahepatic biliary atresia (n = 2), Alagille syndrome (n = 1), galactosemia (n = 1), Gaucher disease (n = 1), Niemann‐Pick disease (n = 1), and Budd–Chiari syndrome (n = 1), with an inconclusive diagnosis in five children. Relevant investigations were ordered more frequently by the specialist consultant (SC) and super specialist (SS) combined in comparison with the senior resident (SR) and junior resident (JR) together. (P = 0.0013). Irrelevance of the tests ordered was significantly higher in the junior tier (JR and SR; SR > JR) in contrast to the senior tier of doctors (SC and SS) (P < 0.01). The clinicohistological correlation of an etiological diagnosis significantly differed between the junior and senior ranks of physicians. We noted that an ideal clinical acumen could help to avoid liver biopsy for etiological diagnosis in 78.3% (29/37) of the study population. CONCLUSION: Interpretation of clinical presentation by the senior set of doctors is preferable, which could obviate the need for liver biopsy regarding diagnosis in a proportion of pediatric CLD patients.