Drug-induced acute liver failure (ALF) accounts for approximately 20% of ALF in children and a higher percentage of ALF in adults. Although most patients experience milder drug hepatotoxic reactions such as hepatitis, cholestasis, or asymptomatic enzyme elevation, it is important to recognize the potential for progression to ALF. The most common cause of drug-induced ALF in children is acetaminophen (15% of all ALF in children in the United Kingdom and the United States), whereas other drugs such as antituberculous and antiepileptic therapy account for 5%. The pathogenesis of liver injury includes direct hepatotoxicity and idiosyncratic reactions for most drugs, although for others the mechanism of injury is assumed on the basis of clinical presentation and hepatic histological findings. We review the adult and pediatric literature of drug-induced hepatotoxicity and ALF, with special attention to commonly used or offending medications, mechanism of the toxicity, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. Although most of the available information is based on experience in adult patients, we have included that which is applicable to children, or we have cited pediatric examples. Enhanced awareness of the potential hepatotoxicity of commonly prescribed medications may minimize the frequency of serious hepatotoxicity and ALF in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND Intramuscular lipomas and atypical lipomatous tumors (ALT) are common deep‐seated lipomatous tumors of the chest wall and extremities. Distinguishing between these two entities can be difficult based on histologic analysis alone. However, the cytogenetic profiles of ALT and intramuscular lipomas are distinct. Correct classification is important, because aggressive local disease recurrence occurs more frequently in patients with ALT than in patients with intramuscular lipoma. The authors examined their single institutional experience and correlated their classification with clinical features and outcome. METHODS In the current study, 106 patients with deep‐seated, well differentiated adipose tumors of the chest wall and extremities were classified as having ALT or intramuscular lipoma using a combined approach of histology and cytogenetics, if available. The classification was correlated with clinicopathologic features and follow‐up data. RESULTS Fifty‐five patients were classified as having intramuscular lipoma and 51 were classified as having ALT. Classification did not correlate with age and gender (P = 0.28 and P = 0.96, respectively). Intramuscular lipomas were smaller than ALTs (P < 0.0001), but there was significant overlap between the 2 groups. ALT occurred preferentially in the lower extremity (P < 0.0009). Four percent of patients with intramuscular lipomas and 27% of patients with ALTs developed local disease recurrence (P = 0.0006). Disease recurrence did not correlate with patient age at diagnosis, patient gender, tumor size, and tumor location (P = 0.45, P = 0.26, P = 0.49, and P = 0.28, respectively). Within the subset of patients with ALTs, disease recurrence did not correlate with patient age at diagnosis, patient gender, or tumor location (P = 0.38, P = 0.54, and P = 0.86, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Classification of deep‐seated, well differentiated lipomatous tumors of the extremities and chest wall using a combined approach of histology and cytogenetics correlated well with biologic behavior/disease recurrence. This combined approach is advocated to better stratify patients for treatment purposes and follow‐up. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.

Extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA), an inflammatory sclerosing cholangiopathy, is the leading indication for liver transplantation in children. The cause is still unknown, although possible infectious, genetic, and immunologic etiologies have received much recent focus. These theories are often dependent on each other for secondary or coexisting mechanisms. Concern for EHBA is raised by a cholestatic infant, but the differential diagnosis is large and the path to diagnosis remains varied. Current treatment is surgical with an overall survival rate of approximately 90%. The goals of this article are to review the important clinical aspects of EHBA and to highlight some of the more recent scientific and clinical developments contributing to our understanding of this condition.

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