RESUMO
The aim of the study was to find out the existing pattern of liver diseases in hospitalized children. Observation descriptive study. Paediatric Unit-III Civil Hospital Karachi.affilliated with Dow University of Health Sciences Karachi. From January 2001 to December 2005. Children ages more than two months to 15 years. During the study period, 92 children were included who fulfilled the criteria. Amongst Acute hepatitis [31.5%], HBV was [41.4%], HAV [27.6%], HCV [10.3%], drug induced [6.9%] and idiopathic causes [13.8%]. Chronic liver diseases were 51%, which constitute cryptogenic [42.5%] and post-hepatitis [32.0%], among which HBV [23.4%], HCV [8.5%] while Wilson [17%], Gaucher's disease [4.3%], hemochromatosis [2%] and autoimmune hepatitis was 2%. In acute hepatitis, HBV is more common while HAV is less than anticipated, HCV is significantly present. In chronic liver disease, the majority of causes are cryptogenic, posthepatitis, metabolic and storage disorders