Clin Mol Hepatol.  2013 Dec;19(4):382-388. 10.3350/cmh.2013.19.4.382.

The levels of liver enzymes and atypical lymphocytes are higher in youth patients with infectious mononucleosis than in preschool children

• Wang Y
• Li J
• Ren YY
• Zhao H

• KMID: 1730884
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3350/cmh.2013.19.4.382

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Infectious mononucleosis (IM) is the clinical presentation of primary infection with Epstein-Barr virus. Although the literature contains a massive amount of information on IM, most of this is related specifically to only children or adults separately. In order to distinguish any differences between preschool children and youth patients, we retrospectively analyzed their demographic and clinical features.
METHODS
Records of patients hospitalized from December 2001 to September 2011 with a diagnosis of IM were retrieved from Peking University First Hospital, which is a tertiary teaching hospital in Beijing. The demographic data and clinical characteristics were collected.
RESULTS
IM was diagnosed in 287 patients during this 10-year period, with incidence peaks among preschool children (< or =7 years old, 130/287, 45.3%) and youth patients (>15 and <24 years old, 101/287, 35.2%). Although the complaints at admission did not differ between these two patient groups, the incidence of clinical signs (tonsillopharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, and edema of the eyelids) was much higher in preschool children. The incidence of liver lesion and percentage of atypical lymphocytes were significantly higher in the youth group (P<0.001), and the average hospital stay was longer in this group. Pneumonia was the most common complication, and there was no case of mortality.
CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of IM peaks among preschool children and youth patients in Beijing, China. The levels of liver enzymes and atypical lymphocytes increase with age.

Keyword

Epstein-Barr virus; Infectious mononucleosis; Preschool children; Youth

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Alanine Transaminase/blood
Aspartate Aminotransferases/blood
Child
Child, Preschool
Demography
Fever/etiology
Humans
Incidence
Infant
Infectious Mononucleosis/*diagnosis/enzymology/epidemiology/pathology
Liver/*enzymology
Lymphocytes/cytology/*immunology/metabolism
Pharyngitis/etiology
Retrospective Studies
Young Adult
gamma-Glutamyltransferase/blood
Alanine Transaminase
Aspartate Aminotransferases
gamma-Glutamyltransferase