Abstract: Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics and risk factors of acute hepatitis E. Methods Clinical data of 179 patients diagnosed with acute hepatitis E (AHE) in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center were collected and their clinical characteristics were summarized. Results 91 of them were over 60 years old, 129 were males, 37 cases were complicated with underlying basic liver diseases, 20 cases were HBV and HEV combined infection and 157 cases with only HEV infection, 158 cases were improved. Compared with patients under 60 years old, those patients over 60 years old showed significantly higher ALT and TBIL levels, lower GGT and Alb levels and longer hospital stay. Compared with females, males showed significantly higher TBil, PT and the liver stiffness value levels, longer hospital stay. Compared with those patients without basic liver diseases, those patients with basic liver diseases showed significantly longer hospital stay. Compared with only HEV infection, those patients with HBV and HEV combined infection showed significantly longer hospital stay. Compared with those improved patients, invalid group had more males, more occurred liver failure, with higher AST, TBil, PT and the liver stiffness value levels, lower GGT and Alb levels. TBil (P=0.001), ALB (P=0.041), PT (P=0.009) were risk factors affecting the prognosis. Conclusion In patients with AHE, there is a higher proportion of males, elderly and males are relatively more serious, elderly, males, combined basic liver disease, HBV and HEV combined infection have relatively longer hospital stay. TBil, Alb, PT are risk factors affecting the prognosis.

Key words: Acute hepatitis E, Clinical analysis, Hepatitis E virus