Abstract: Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of patients with acute severe hepatitis E and to explore the risk factors for severe hepatitis. Methods Retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 102 patients with acute hepatitis E admitted to Shanghai Ruijin Hospital from December 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021. According to the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of severe hepatitis, the groups were divided into severe and non-severe groups, and the clinical data and laboratory test indexes of the two groups were compared. Results Hepatitis E infection was predominantly disseminated, with clear co-morbidity in 6 cases (5.88%), 65 males and 37 females, mean age (58.16±12.01) years, mean hospitalization days (19.08±15.38) d, no significant difference was seen in the combination of underlying liver disease on whether it progressed to severe disease, and a statistically significant difference was seen in the combination of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and other chronic diseases progressing to severe disease. Conclusion Patients presenting with severe acute hepatitis E are significantly more likely to be male(χ²=7.474, P<0.05), older(F=0.979, P<0.05), and have comorbid underlying disease(χ²=6.544, P<0.05), with a statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay(F=0.791, P<0.05). It was also found that those who progressed to severe disease had lower albumin(Z=3.981, P<0.001), higher total bilirubin(Z=-10.575, P<0.001), and dysfunction of blood coagulation(Z=-4.199, P<0.001).

Key words: Hepatitis E, Severe Hepatitis, Risk factors