Issue: 2002 > October > case report

Liver enzyme elevation induced by hyperemesis gravidarum: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment



CASE REPORT
M. Conchillo, J. M. A. Pijnenborg, P. Peeters, , J. Fevery, G. H. Koek
AbstractPDF

Abstract

Three primigravidae were admitted during the first trimester of pregnancy with nausea, vomiting, ketonuria and liver enzyme elevation of varying severity. A 29-year-old woman had elevated aminotransferase values, at levels described in the literature (ASAT 112 U/l, ALAT 214 U/l). The second patient, a woman aged 26 years, had undergone in vitro fertilisation and showed higher liver enzyme elevation, including the total bilirubin level (ASAT 250 U/l, ALAT 474 U/l, total bilirubin 59.8 mmol/l). A 30-year-old woman had extremely high aminotransferase values (ASAT 705 U/l, ALAT 1674 U/l) and she is the first reported patient with ALAT values exceeding 1000 U/l in connection with hyperemesis gravidarum. Gallstone disease, viral and drug-induced hepa-titis were excluded in all of these patients. Treatment was symptomatic and the abnormal liver tests returned to normal promptly when the vomiting resolved, independent of the severity of liver enzyme elevation. The pregnancies proceed-ed normally and all three patients delivered healthy babies.