Hypertransaminasemia in hospitalized children: Insights from a national multicenter study by the Italian Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition

@article{giorgio2026hypertransaminasemia,
  title = {{Hypertransaminasemia in hospitalized children: Insights from a national multicenter study by the Italian Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition}},
  author = {Angelo Di Giorgio and Giusy Ranucci and Pietro Aliberti and Carmela Pia Senatore and Camilla Calì and Angelo Mazza and Francesca Sbravati and Patrizia Alvisi and Maurizio Giuseppe Fuoti and Ilaria Rochira and Antonio Marseglia and Maria Rosa Pastore and Annalisa Madeo and Alessandro La Rosa and Federica Ferrari and Fortunata Sabrina Civitelli and Valentina Maffini and Icilio Dodi and Serena della Femina and Andrea Colangelo and Lorenzo D'Antiga and Claudia Mandato},
  journal = {Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1002/jpn3.70540},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70540},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Hypertransaminasemia in hospitalized children: Insights from a national multicenter study by the Italian Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
AU  - Angelo Di Giorgio
AU  - Giusy Ranucci
AU  - Pietro Aliberti
AU  - Carmela Pia Senatore
AU  - Camilla Calì
AU  - Angelo Mazza
AU  - Francesca Sbravati
AU  - Patrizia Alvisi
AU  - Maurizio Giuseppe Fuoti
AU  - Ilaria Rochira
AU  - Antonio Marseglia
AU  - Maria Rosa Pastore
AU  - Annalisa Madeo
AU  - Alessandro La Rosa
AU  - Federica Ferrari
AU  - Fortunata Sabrina Civitelli
AU  - Valentina Maffini
AU  - Icilio Dodi
AU  - Serena della Femina
AU  - Andrea Colangelo
AU  - Lorenzo D'Antiga
AU  - Claudia Mandato
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/18
JO  - Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
DO  - 10.1002/jpn3.70540
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1002/jpn3.70540
AB  - Objectives: Hypertransaminasemia is a frequent finding in hospitalized children with common pediatric illnesses, often considered a transitory phenomenon associated with systemic inflammation/injury. This study aims to assess the prevalence and causes of incidentally detected hypertransaminasemia in children admitted to general pediatric units for non‐chronic liver‐related illnesses.  Methods: This is a prospective, multicenter observational study. Children with transaminase measurement at hospital admission were enrolled from June 2021 to July 2023. Inclusion criteria were: Age >30 days to 17 years; hospitalization for any clinical condition; Informed consent. Patients with a previous diagnosis of liver disease were excluded.  Results: A total of 1652 patients (1 month to 17 years) were enrolled in nine Italian pediatric hospital centers. Overall, the prevalence of hypertransaminasemia was 34.4% (n = 570). The majority had mild to moderate liver enzymes elevation. Positive correlation were found between aspartate aminotransferase and creatin P‐kinase (CPK), body mass index z‐score and cholesterol. At discharge, 298 of the 570 re‐tested transaminases: 21.4% (64/298) had persistent combined elevation, 13.8% (41/298) isolated alanine aminotransferase, and 37.6% (112/298) isolated elevation. Only 5.70% of the patients (n = 30) with elevated transaminase levels (n = 526) were eventually diagnosed with liver disease at discharge, whereas the majority of patients (19.9%, n = 105) received a diagnosis of pneumonia/bronchitis/upper respiratory tract infection, followed by unspecified infections (10.6%, n = 56).  Conclusions: Hypertransaminasemia is common in children admitted to the general pediatric units, affecting approximately 35% of patients. Liver‐related discharge diagnoses were uncommon among children with elevated transaminases (5.70%), whereas most cases occurred in the setting of acute non‐hepatic illnesses. Children with persistently elevated transaminases at discharge should be followed to rule out chronic liver disease.
SN  - 0277-2116
SN  - 1536-4801
ER  -