Good and bad prognosis of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency in children: When to list for liver transplantation

alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency (alpha 1-ATD) is a genetic disorder that may predispose to chronic liver disease. The clinical manifestations and prognosis of this disorder are variable. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical presentation and liver tests in two groups of children with alpha 1-ATD: those with a good prognosis who survived long term with their native liver, and those with a bad one, requiring liver transplantation (OLT) or dying before OLT. We studied 59 children homozygous for alpha 1-ATD admitted to our hospital with cholestasis or chronic hepatitis since infancy. Patients without liver transplantation were regarded to be the good prognosis group I (n = 45). In contrast the 11 children who required liver transplantation and the three who died before OLT were the bad prognosis cohort (Group II, n = 14). We analyzed the laboratory parameters of cholestasis, hepatitis, and liver insuficiency in both groups. In the group with a good prognosis, eight children still suffered from cholestasis at the ages of 9 to 14 years while nine had hepatitis at the ages of 9 to 14 years. We observed a temporarily increased international normalized ratio (1.2 to 1.5) in eight subjects at the ages of 1 month to 17 years, and slight hypoalbuminemia (30 to 35 mg/dL) in nine children at the ages of 1 month to 10 years. OLT was performed in 11 children at the ages of 10 to 17 years. Our center's experience suggested that in the PiZZ patients with portal hypertension, esophageal varices, or deterioration of hepatic function, liver transplantation should not be delayed.