Improving the treatment of Epstein-Barr virus infectious mononucleosis in children

Abstract

Background. In Ukraine, as in the whole world, there is a tendency to increase in the number of diffuse liver diseases. Increased percentage of patients with liver disease among adults is mostly determined by the damages to hepatobiliary system in childhood. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in the therapy of liver damages due to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Materials and methods. Research design: prospective, open-label, controlled. Sixty children with EBV infectious mononucleosis (IM) aged 1 to 18 years old were screened. All patients were observed, examined during the acute period of the disease, and divided into 2 groups. The children of the main group (n = 35) received standard therapy for EBV IM in combination with UDCA, patients of the control group (n = 25) received standard treatment alone. Results. Received data showed that therapy improved by means of UDCA in EBV IM and liver damage promotes a faster regression of the main symptoms of infection, such as fever, appetite loss and jaundice, already on day 7 from the beginning of treatment and a more rapid norma­lization of indicators of the functional state of the liver (alanine aminotransferase, bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, gamma glutamyltransferase, lactate dehydrogenase). The drug was well tolerated, no adverse reactions were observed. Conclusions. The inclusion of UDCA in the treatment scheme can improve the effectiveness of advanced therapy compared with standard one, promotes a more rapid regression of infection symptoms and a more rapid norma­lization of indicators of the functional state of the liver.

Keywords

• children
• infectious mononucleosis
• Epstein-Barr infection
• liver
• ursodeoxycholic acid