Adequacy criteria of Tru-cut needle liver biopsy in neonatal cholestasis.

Introduction And Objectives: Assessment of liver biopsy sample adequacy criteria is essential to avoid sampling errors in patients with diffuse liver pathology. Many studies have evaluated these criteria in adults; however, no previous studies have been performed on neonatal liver disorders. We aimed to assess the adequacy criteria of Tru-cut needle liver biopsy samples in infants with neonatal cholestasis (NC).

Variant etiologies of neonatal cholestasis and their outcome: a Middle East single-center experience.

Aim Of The Study: Neonatal cholestasis (NC) constitutes a large proportion of pediatric liver disorders. Nevertheless, awareness of the variant etiologies and how to manage them appropriately are lacking. So, out of a few specialized centers, many cases pass without appropriate management.

Predictors of azathioprine toxicity in children with autoimmune hepatitis.

Aim Of The Study: Azathioprine (AZA) is an important steroid-sparing drug in the management of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Avoidance of its adverse events that could be severe and carry a risk of mortality in a few cases is important, preferably with cheap and easy assessments that could be feasible in developing countries with the unavailability of molecular assays. Assessment of thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT), the key enzyme for the inactivation of AZA, as a predictor of AZA toxicity had been a matter of conflict.

SOX9 in biliary atresia: New insight for fibrosis progression.

Background: Liver fibrosis is a hallmark determinant of morbidity in biliary atresia (BA) even in successfully operated cases. Responsible factors for this rapid progression of fibrosis are not completely defined. Aberrant expression of the transcription factor SOX9 and hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) proliferation have roles in fibrogenesis in cholestatic disorders.

Serum ferritin in neonatal cholestasis: A specific and active molecule or a non-specific bystander marker?

Background: Serum ferritin (SF) and consequently hepatic iron have long been considered important in liver fibrosis progression. They have been studied in different liver diseases with no previous reports in neonatal cholestasis (NC). This study aimed to measure SF in different etiologies of NC and investigate its relation to hepatic iron and fibrosis.

Serum Adiponectin, Vitamin D, and Alpha-Fetoprotein in Children with Chronic Hepatitis C: Can They Predict Treatment Response?

Background & Aims. The currently available treatment for chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in children is costly and with much toxicity. So, predicting the likelihood of response before starting therapy is important.

Urinary urobilinogen in biliary atresia: A missed, simple and cheap diagnostic test.

Aim: Early diagnosis of biliary atresia (BA) is of utmost importance for good outcome; however, it is sometimes difficult due to the overlapping diagnostic test results with other causes of neonatal cholestasis. Moreover, many diagnostic tests are costly, invasive and not available in all centers, especially in developing countries. So, we aimed to investigate the diagnostic performance of urinary urobilinogen; an easy, cheap test that was not tested before in BA.

Design and validation of a diagnostic score for biliary atresia.

Background & Aims: The dilemma of early diagnosis of biliary Atresia (BA), particularly distinguishing it from other causes of neonatal cholestasis is challenging. The aim was to design and validate a scoring system for early discrimination of BA from other causes of neonatal cholestasis.

Methods: A twelve-point scoring system was proposed according to clinical, laboratory, ultrasonographic, and histopathological parameters.

Hepatic hydrothorax in the absence of ascites in a child with autoimmune hepatitis: Successful management with octreotide and pleurodesis.

Hepatic hydrothorax is a rare complication of liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. It carries a diagnostic and therapeutic difficulty especially if occurring in the absence of ascites. We report a nine-year-old child with autoimmune hepatitis type 1, who presented with a right-sided hepatic hydrothorax in the absence of ascites.