Serum profile of bile acids in children with neonatal hepatitis and extrahepatic biliary atresia
Jara, P.; Codoceo, R.; Hernanz, A.; Díaz, M.C.; de José, M.; Montero, J.L.; Vásquez, C.
Anales Espanoles de Pediatria 20(9): 837-841
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0302-4342 PMID: 6486577 Document Number: 241785
A bile acid analysis by a fluorometric-enzymic method was carried out in serum from infants with neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia. Serum bile acids were determined in 51 infants: 34 with extrahepatic biliary atresia and 17 with neonatal hepatitis syndrome. The following results were obtained: 1) There were no significant differences between neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia concerning total serum bile acids. 2) The ratio of trihydroxylated to dihydroxylated bile acids in serum was less than one in 30 patients with biliary atresia and greater than one in 15 patients with neonatal hepatitis. 3) Conventional hepatic tests did not show any statistically significant difference between these types of patients. These results suggest that trihydroxy/dihydroxy bile acid ratio may be of clinical interest to differentiate biliary atresia from neonatal hepatitis in infants.