Kumar A, et al. - Authors here determined anthropometric parameters and biochemical nutritional parameters in hepatitis E infection during pregnancy and correlated it with severity of the disease. Findings suggested that malnutrition might confer a higher predisposition for hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection during pregnancy and is associated with increased severity of disease in terms of occurrence of ALF.

Methods

• Recruitment of 267 pregnant women with jaundice was performed.
• Authors classified the jaundiced patients as acute viral hepatitis (AVH) or acute liver failure (ALF).
• 144 pregnant women with HEV infection comprised the study group and 144 healthy asymptomatic age and gestational age-matched pregnant women were controls.
• They performed evaluation of nutritional factors on basis of anthropometric parameters and biochemical factors.
• ELISA kit was used for serum prealbumin and folate analysis.

Results

• In pregnant women with HEV infection, significantly lower nutritional parameters were observed as compared with healthy pregnant controls.
• Compared to AVH pregnant patients in HEV group, ALF pregnant patients indicated significantly lower some of the nutritional parameters.
• Linear regression analysis of the AVH group indicated that serum total protein and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were relevant predictors for bilirubin, body mass index (BMI) could markedly predict viral load level, and total protein, prealbumin, folate, and tricep skin fold thickness (TSFT) could significantly predict prothrombin time.
• In ALF group, serum prealbumin seemed a relevant predictor for bilirubin levels and MUAC seemed a significant predictor for prothrombin time.