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Isolation of Neonatal Extrahepatic Cholangiocytes
Published on: June 5, 2014
Evaluation of cholestasis in Iranian infants less than three months of age
Seyed Mohsen Dehghani1, Neda Efazati2, Iraj Shahramian2
1Gastroenterohepatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran ; Neonatology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Insights
Biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis are the leading causes of infantile cholestasis in infants under three months in Shiraz, Iran. Early diagnosis is crucial for better outcomes in liver disease management.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Hepatology
- Neonatology
Background:
- Cholestatic jaundice in infants often stems from pathological conditions like neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia.
- Prompt diagnosis and intervention are vital for managing infantile cholestasis and preventing severe liver disease complications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the primary etiologies of cholestasis in infants under three months of age in Shiraz, Iran.
- To contribute to the understanding of pediatric liver disease in the region.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis of 122 infants diagnosed with cholestasis between 2001 and 2011.
- Data collected included demographic information, jaundice duration, liver biopsy results, and identified causes of cholestasis.
Main Results:
- Biliary atresia and idiopathic neonatal hepatitis were the most frequent causes, each accounting for 24.6% of cases.
- Hepatomegaly (76.4%) and clay-colored stools (44.3%) were common clinical findings.
- Males constituted 62.3% of the study cohort.
Conclusions:
- Biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis are the predominant causes of infantile cholestasis in this Iranian population.
- Discriminating biliary atresia from other neonatal cholestasis forms is essential for effective treatment and improved prognosis.
Aim:
The aim of this study is to find-out the possible etiologies in Iranian infants less than three months in Shiraz, South of Iran.
Background:
Cholestatic jaundice most probably occurs due to a pathological condition and the most frequent causes in early infancy are neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia. Early diagnosis and treatment of infantile cholestasis can improve prognosis of liver diseases by prevention of the complications of these disorders.
Patients And Methods:
In this retrospective study, 122 infants under 3 months of age with cholestasis were studied in Nemazee Hospital (affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences) during the years 2001-2011. Demographic data, duration of jaundice, liver biopsy and the causes of cholestasis were recorded.
Results:
There were 76 males (62.3%) and 46 females (37.7%) with a mean age of 54.4 ± 23.7 days. The most common clinical finding was jaundice that was seen in all patients (100%).The onset of jaundice was the first day to the fifty two days of age, with an average age of 15.6 ± 16.1 days. Other findings included hepatomegaly in 92 patients (76.4%), clay-color stool in 54 (44.3%), and splenomegaly in 29 patients (23.8%). In this study, the most common causes of cholestasis were biliary atresia (30=24.6%), idiopathic neonatal hepatitis (30= 24.6%) and bile ducts paucity (16=10.3).
Conclusion:
The results of this study showed that biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis are the most common causes of infantile cholestasis in this area. It is recommended that biliary atresia should be discriminated from other forms of neonatal cholestasis.
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