Identification of pediatric activated T-cell hepatitis using clinical immune studies

Background and aims

The majority of indeterminate pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) cases are secondary to immune dysregulation, labeled activated T-cell hepatitis (TCHep). We aimed to describe a cohort of children with acute severe hepatitis and PALF and define how clinical immune labs may help identify the TCHep group.

Methods

Retrospective review of children with acute hepatitis and PALF between March 2020 and August 2022. Patients were classified as known diagnosis, indeterminate hepatitis (IND-Hep), or TCHep (defined by liver biopsy with predominant CD8 T-cell inflammation or development of aplastic anemia).

Results

124 patients were identified: 83 with known diagnoses, 16 with TCHep, and 25 with IND-Hep. Patients with TCHep had significantly increased median total bilirubin levels (7.5 mg/dL (IQR 6.8–8.9) vs 1.5 mg/dL (IQR 1.0–3.6), p < 0.0001), soluble interleukin-2 receptor levels (4512 IU/mL (IQR 4073–5771) vs 2997 IU/mL (IQR 1957–3237), p = 0.02), and percent of CD8+ T-cells expressing perforin (14.5 % (IQR 8.0–20.0) vs 1.0 % (IQR 0.8–1.0), p = 0.004) and granzyme (37.5 % (IQR 15.8–54.8) vs 4.0 % (IQR 2.5–5.5), p = 0.004) compared to IND-Hep patients. Clinical flow cytometry showed that TCHep patients had significantly increased percent CD8+ T cells (29.0 % (IQR 24.5–33.5) vs 23.6 % (IQR 19.8–25.8), p = 0.04) and HLA-DR+ (16.0 % (IQR 14.5–24.5) vs 2.7 (1.8–5.3), p < 0.001) compared to IND-Hep patients indicative of increase in CD8+ T cells that are activated.

Conclusions

Peripheral blood clinical immune studies demonstrate increased markers of CD8 T-cell activation, proliferation, and cytotoxic function for TCHep patients. These readily available immune function labs can be used to help distinguish patients with TCHep from those with other causes. This provides a non-invasive tool for early detection of potential TCHep before progression to liver failure.