Developmental Patterns of Fecal Bile Acids in Healthy Neonates and Children

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pediatrics
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Normal fecal bile acid (FBA) profiles in healthy neonates and children in China are not well-established.
• Understanding these profiles is crucial for assessing pediatric gastrointestinal health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the developmental patterns of fecal bile acids (FBAs) in healthy neonates and children.
• To establish normal FBA reference ranges for pediatric populations in China.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 238 healthy neonates and children.
• Quantification of primary and secondary FBAs using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
• Comparison of FBA levels across different age groups.

Main Results:

• Primary FBAs were detected by day 3, increased significantly by day 7, and then gradually decreased until age 6.
• Secondary FBAs, initially low, increased significantly from 6 months to 6 years, reaching 90% of total FBAs.
• Liver effectively synthesizes primary bile acids by 7 days postpartum; secondary FBAs correlate with intestinal flora maturation.

Conclusions:

• Fecal primary bile acid levels stabilize after the neonatal period.
• Secondary bile acid levels increase with intestinal flora maturation, stabilizing around age 3.
• These findings provide a baseline for pediatric FBA development in the studied region.