Ischemic hepatitis is a risk factor for progression of liver disease associated with parenteral nutrition in intestinal failure

Children with intestinal failure need parenteral nutrition (PN) for long-term survival. PN-induced liver disease develops in 40% to 60% of infants who require long-term PN for intestinal failure (1). To our knowledge, rapid development of liver disease subsequent to PN has not been reported previously in children outside the neonatal period. We describe 2 children in whom liver disease developed within 45 days after the commencement of PN, secondary to an ischemic insult to the liver.