Preoperative Serum IL-12p40 Is a Potential Predictor of Kasai Portoenterostomy Outcome in Infants with Biliary Atresia.

The standard-of-care treatment for biliary atresia (BA) is surgical restoration of bile flow by Kasai portoenterostomy. We aimed to study serum interleukin- (IL-) 12p40, a natural antagonist for the proinflammatory IL-12p70, and its relation to surgical outcomes of BA. The study included 75 infants with neonatal cholestasis: BA group ( = 25), non-BA cholestasis group ( = 30), and neglected BA group ( = 20), in addition to thirty healthy neonates serving as controls.

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.