Complement factor 3 among children with hepatitis A: Assessment of bilirubin levels.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the complement factor 3 levels in children with hepatitis A. METHODS This observational study was conducted at the Infectious Diseases Hospital of Hotan District, China, from September 2014 to January 2015, and comprised children with hepatitis A and controls. The patients were divided into two groups. The ones with total bilirubin less than or equal to 2mg/dl comprised group A, while the ones whose total bilirubin was more than 2mg/dl was named group B. Besides, we enrolled age- and gender-matched healthy children as controls. SPSS 13 was used for data analysis. RESULTS Of the 100 participants, 41(41%) were in group A, 29(29%) in group B and 30(30%) were controls. The serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bile acid, the incidence of ascites and the incidence of hepatic encephalopathy were significantly increased in patients of group B when compared to group A (p=0.046, p=0.009, p<0.0001, p=0.018 and p=0.026). The levels of prothrombin time activity, total protein and albumin were higher in group A (p<0.0001, p<0.0001, and p <0.0001). Total hepatitis A patients had significantly lower serum complement factor 3 levels compared to normal controls (p =0.018). Group B had significantly lower serum complement factor 3 levels compared to normal controls (p <0.0001) and group A (p<0.0001). In total patients, complement factor 3 levels were negatively correlated with total bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase (p=0.029), while complement factor 3 levels were positively correlated with prothrombin time activity (p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS Complement factor 3 values were found to be decreased in children hospitalised with hyperbilirubinaemia hepatitis A.