Patients with biliary atresia have elevated direct/conjugated bilirubin levels shortly after birth

• Published in: Pediatrics (Evanston) Vol. 128; no. 6; p. e1428
• Main Authors: Harpavat, Sanjiv, Finegold, Milton J, Karpen, Saul J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2011
• Subjects: Biliary Atresia - blood; Bilirubin - blood; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Male; Retrospective Studies

Healthy infants are thought to acquire biliary atresia (BA) in the first weeks of life. Because those diagnosed earlier have better outcomes, we were interested in determining the earliest time BA could be detected. We started by examining the immediate postnatal period, hypothesizing that newborns...