The clinical spectrum of chronic liver disease in children presenting to a tertiary level teaching hospital in New Delhi.

We report on the clinical spectrum of chronic liver disease (CLD) in children presenting to a tertiary level teaching hospital. Children aged <14 years with suspected CLD presenting to the paediatric gastroenterology department of Maulana Azad Medical College between January 1999 and December 2004, were prospectively studied. They were all given liver function tests, abdominal ultrasonography, endoscopy, viral markers and were checked for Wilson's disease, autoimmune hepatitis and liver biopsy wherever feasible. Other tests for metabolic liver diseases were done when indicated. CLD was diagnosed in 174 children over the six-year period. Cryptogenic cirrhosis was the most common entity, followed by hepatitis B-induced liver disease and Wilson's disease. Most patients presented late with evident portal hypertension.