Patterns and Clinico-Radiological Characteristics of Primary Liver Masses in Children Treated at a Tertiary Referral Hospital, in Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographic Characteristics of Children with Primary Liver Mass Attending at Tertiary Care Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Variable	Frequency	Percent
Age of the study participants in years
<1	18	24.3
1–4	27	36.5
4–8	14	18.9
8–14	15	20.3
Sex of the study participants
Male	45	60.8
Female	29	39.2
Residence of the study participants
Addis Ababa	30	40.5
Outside Addis Ababa	44	59.5
Did you have a sibling, parent, or offspring who have a similar illness?
Yes	1	1.4
No	73	98.6
Did have a previous liver problem
Yes	1	1.4
No	73	98.6
HIV
Yes	2	2.7
No	72	97.3

Table 2 Presenting Symptoms of Patients with Primary Liver Mass Who Were on Follow-Up in a Tertiary Care Center, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Variable	Frequency	Percent
Duration of illness in weeks
≤1wk	15	20.3
1–3wk	17	23.0
4–8wk	31	41.9
8–16wk	5	6.8
>16wk	6	8.1
Presenting symptoms
Yes	70	94.6
No	4	5.4
Abdominal pain
Yes	29	39.2
No	45	60.8
Abdominal swelling
Yes	52	70.3
No	22	29.7
Jaundice
Yes	11	14.9
No	63	85.1
Fever
Yes	16	21.6
No	58	78.4
Weight loss
Yes	10	13.5
No	64	86.5
Easily fatigability
Yes	1	1.4
No	73	98.6
Bleeding
Yes	1	1.4
No	73	98.6

Table 3 Frequency of Laboratory Parameters in Patients with Liver Mass Who Were on Follow-Up in a Tertiary Care Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Variable	Frequency	Percent	Mean (SD)
Liver test results
AST (n=72)
Normal	30	41.7	101.6 (171.6)
Elevated	42	58.3
ALT (n=72)
Normal	43	59.7	68.1 (116.4)
Elevated	29	40.3
ALP (n=72)
Normal	4	5.6	368.7 (281.7)
Elevated	68	94.4
INR (n=42)
Normal	16	38.1	1.42 (0.393)
Elevated	26	61.9
PT (n=42)
Normal	29	69.0	19.5 (6.87)
Elevated	13	31.0
PTT (n=41)
Normal	29	70.7	36.7 (10.61)
Elevated	12	29.3
Bilirubin total (n=58)
Normal	55	94.8	3.5 (7.34)
Elevated	3	5.2
Bilirubin direct (n=56)
Normal	35	62.5	1.84 (4.57)
Elevated	21	37.5
Serum albumin (n=63)
Hypoalbuminemia	1	1.6	3.57 (2.51)
Normal	62	98.4
Alpha-fetoprotein (n=44)
Normal	24	54.5	34,449.67 (126,130.87)
Elevated	20	45.5
HBVSAg (n=74)
Negative	73	98.6
Positive	1	1.4
HCVAbs (n=73)
Negative	73	98.6
Not available	1	1.4
WBC (n=74)
Normal	31	41.9	12.84 × 10^3 (5.97)
Elevated	43	58.1
Hemoglobin (n=74)
Anemia	45	60.8	11.06 (3.15)
Normal	29	39.2
Platelet (n=74)
Thrombocytopenia	9	12.2	422.7 (244.34)
Normal	65	87.8
Urine bilirubin level (=48)
Negative	34
Positive	14
Urine urobilinogen level (=48)
Negative	34
Positive	14
ESR (=71)
Normal	34	47.9	36.34 (31.31)
Elevated	37	52.1
CRP (n=46)
Normal	31	67.4	25.17 (54.14)
Elevated	15	32.6
Uric acid (n=52)
Normal	30	57.7	4.83 (2.26)
Elevated	22	42.3
LDH (n=69)
Normal	27	39.1	644 (984.7)
Elevated	42	60.9

Table 4 Frequency of Abdominal Ultrasound Parameters in Patients with Liver Mass Who Were on Follow-Up in a Tertiary Care Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Variable	Category	frequency	Percent
Abdominal ultrasound	Yes	74	100
	Ultrasound findings
	Hepatocellular carcinoma	6	8.1
	Hepatoblastoma	25	33.8
	Hemangioma	5	6.8
	Amebic abscess	2	2.7
	Pyogenic Abscess/bacterial cause	16	21.9
	Simple hepatic cyst	6	8.2
	Hydatid cyst	8	11.0
	Hepatic Adenoma	1	1.4
	Hemangioendothelioma	3	4.1
	Lymphangioma	1	1.4
	Caroli’s disease	1	1.4
	Mass lobe
	Single	55	73.9
	Multiple	19	26.1
	Lesion character
	Benign	42	57.5
	Malignant	32	43.2
	Mass size in cms
	<2	4	6.2
	2–5	25	38.5
	5–10	24	36.9
	>10	12	18.5
	Mass lobe
	Right	48	64.9
	Left	12	16.2
	Both	14	18.9
	Mass Involved segment
	Yes	51	68.9
	No	23	31.1
	1	10	19.6
	2	11	21.6
	3	7	13.7
	4	19	37.3
	5	26	50.9
	6	21	41.2
	7	15	29.4
	8	26	50.9
	Spleen size
	Normal	63	86.3
	Enlarged	10	13.9
	Liver size
	Normal	15	20.3
	Enlarged	59	79.7
	Any portal vein thrombosis
	Yes	6	8.1
	No	68	91.9

Table 5 Frequency of Abdominal MRI Scan Parameters in Patients with Liver Mass Who Were on Follow-Up in a Tertiary Care Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Variable	Category	Frequency	Percent
Abdominal MRI scan	Yes	8	10.8
	Hepatoblastoma	3	37.5
	Pyogenic abscess	1	12.5
	Simple hepatic cyst	1	12.5
	Hydatid cyst	1	12.5
	Caroli’s disease	1	12.5
	Hepatocellular carcinoma	1	12.5
	Mass size
	Single	7	87.5
	Multiple	1	12.5
	Lesion character
	Benign	5	62.5
	Malignant	3	37.5

Table 6 Bivariate and Multivariate Logistic Regression in Patients with Liver Mass Who Were on Follow-Up in a Tertiary Care Center, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Variable	Pyogenic abscess		P-value	COR with 95% CI	P-value	COR with 95% CI
	Yes	No
Sex of the Children
Male	13	32	0.069	3.5(0.91, 13.67)	0.710	1.5 (0.18, 12.24)
Female	3	26	1		1
Residence of the study cases
Addis Ababa	10	20	0.049	3.2(1.01, 9.98)	0.474	2.1 (0.29, 14.58)
Outside Addis Ababa	6	38	1		1
Abdominal swelling
Yes	3	49	0.000	0.04(0.01, 0.18)	0.001	0.03 (0.004, 0.26)
No	13	9	1		1
Fever
Yes	8	8	0.004	6.2(1.82, 21.42)	0.006	1.5 (1.22, 10.81)
No	8	50	1		1

Table 7 Bivariate and Multivariate Logistic Regression Showing the Association of Independent Variables on Hepatoblastoma in Patients with Liver Mass Who Were on Follow-Up in a Tertiary Care Center, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Variable	Hepatoblastoma		P-value	COR with 95% CI	P-value	COR with 95% CI
	Yes	No
Age of the children’s years
<1	12	6	0.004	28.0 (2.94, 266.47)	0.045	17.1 (1.84, 3.498)
1–4	11	16	0.041	9.6 (1.10, 84.2)	0.134	10.5 (0.48, 228.78)
4–8	1	13	0.960	1.1 (0.06, 19.05)	0.746	0.39 (0.001, 10.6.46)
>8	1	14	1
Sex of the study cases
Male	11	34	1		1
Female	14	15	0.037	2.9 (1.06, 7.81)	0.362	2.4 (0.36, 16.04)
Residence of the study cases
Addis Ababa	6	24	1
Outside Addis Ababa	19	25	0.043	3.0 (1.04, 8.91)	0.028	2.9 (1.41, 20.73)
Duration of illness in weeks
<1	2	13	1		1
1–3	5	12	0.283	2.7 (0.44, 16.68)	0.588	2.5 (0.09, 63.14)
4–8	12	19	0.094	4.1 (0.79, 21.48)	0.972	1.1 (0.04, 28.3)
8–16	4	1	0.016	26 (1.84, 367.69)	0.293	27.1 (0.06, 127.35)
>16	2	4	0.306	3.2 (0.34, 31.07)	0.855	0.67 (0.01, 51.03)
AST
Normal	5	25	1		1
Elevated	19	23	0.014	4.1 (1.33, 12.87)	0.163	4.5 (0.54, 37.08)
LDH
Normal	1	26	1		1
Elevated	23	19	0.001	31.4 (3.90,253.87)	0.016	6.9 (2.20, 219.4)

Data Sharing Statement

Data are available on request from the corresponding author.