Background and aims The etiology of biliary atresia (BA) is unknown. Given that patterns of anomalies might provide etiopathogenetic clues, we utilized data from the North American Childhood Liver Disease Research and Education Network to analyze patterns of anomalies in infants with BA. Methods Two hundred eighty-nine infants who were enrolled into the prospective database prior to surgery at any of 15 centers participating were evaluated. Results Group 1 was non-syndromic, isolated BA (without major malformations) (n = 242, 84 %), Group 2 was BA and at least one malformation considered major as defined by the National Birth Defects Prevention Study but without laterality defects (n = 17, 6%). Group 3 was syndromic, with laterality defects (n = 30, 10%). In the population as a whole, anomalies (either major or minor) were most prevalent in the cardiovascular (16%) and gastrointestinal (14%) systems. Group 3 patients accounted for the majority of subjects with cardiac, gastrointestinal and splenic anomalies. Group 2 subjects also frequently displayed cardiovascular (71%) and gastrointestinal (24 %) anomalies; interestingly this group had genitourinary anomalies more frequently (47%) compared to Group 3 subjects (10%). Conclusions This study identified a group of BA (Group 2) that differed from the classical syndromic and non-syndromic groups and that was defined by multiple malformations without laterality defects. Careful phenotyping of the patterns of anomalies may be critical to the interpretation of both genetic and environmental risk factors associated with BA, allowing new insight into pathogenesis and/or outcome.

Objectives To examine the medical status of children with biliary atresia (BA) with their native livers after hepatic portoenterostomy (HPE) surgery. Study design The Childhood Liver Disease Research and Education Network (ChiLDREN) database was utilized to examine subjects with BA living with their native livers 5 or more years after HPE and to describe the prevalence of subjects with BA with an “ideal” outcome, defined as no clinical evidence of chronic liver disease, normal liver biochemical indices (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, platelet count, total bilirubin, International Normalized Ratio, and albumin) and normal Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) 5 or more years after HPE. Results Children with BA (n=219; 43% male) with median age 9.7 years were studied. Median age at HPE was 56 (range 7-125) days. Median age- and sex-adjusted height and weight Z-scores at 5 year follow-up were 0.487 (interquartile range [IQR]: -0.27 to 1.02) and 0.00 (IQR: -0.74 to 0.70), respectively. During the 12 preceding months, cholangitis and bone fractures occurred in 17% and 5.5%, respectively. HRQOL was reported normal by 53% of patients. However, only 1.8% met the study definition of “ideal” outcome. Individual tests of liver synthetic function (TB, Alb, and INR) were normal in 75%, 85% and 73% of the study cohort. Conclusion Cholangitis and fractures in long-term survivors underscore the importance of ongoing medical surveillance. Over 98% of this North American cohort of subjects with BA living with native livers 5 or more years after HPE have clinical or biochemical evidence of chronic liver disease.

Objectives Biliary atresia (BA) frequently results in portal hypertension (PHT), complications of which lead to significant morbidity and mortality. The Childhood Liver Disease Research and Education Network (ChiLDREN) was utilized to perform a cross-sectional multi-centered analysis of PHT in children with BA. Methods BA subjects receiving medical management at a ChiLDREN site were enrolled. A priori, clinically evident PHT was defined as “definite” when there was either 1) history of a complication of PHT or 2) clinical findings consistent with PHT (both splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia). PHT was denoted as “possible” if one of the findings was present in the absence of a complication, while PHT was “absent” if none of the criteria were met. Results 163 subjects were enrolled between May 2006 and December 2009. At baseline, definite PHT was present in 49%, possible in 17% and absent in 34% of subjects. Demographics, growth and anthropometrics were similar amongst the 3 PHT categories. ALT, GGTP, and sodium levels were similar, while there were significant differences in AST, AST/ALT, albumin, total bilirubin, PT, WBC, platelet count and AST/platelet between definite and absent PHT. Thirty-four percent of those with definite PHT had either PT > 15s or albumin < 3 g/L. Conclusions Clinically definable PHT is present in two thirds of North American long-term BA survivors with their native livers. The presence of PHT is associated with measures of hepatic injury and dysfunction, although in this selected cohort the degree of hepatic dysfunction is relatively mild and growth is preserved.

Objectives To quantify health related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with biliary atresia with their native livers and compare them with healthy children and patients with biliary atresia post-liver transplant (LT) and to examine the relationship between HRQOL and medical variables. Study design A cross-sectional HRQOL study of patients with biliary atresia with their native livers (ages 2-25 years) was conducted and compared with healthy and post-LT biliary atresia samples using PedsQL™ 4.0 child self and parent proxy reports, a validated measure of physical/psychosocial functioning. Results 221 patients with biliary atresia with native livers (54% female, 67% white) were studied. patient self and parent proxy reports showed significantly poorer HRQOL than healthy children across all domains (p < 0.001), particularly in emotional and psychosocial functioning. Child self and parent proxy HRQOL scores from patients with biliary atresia with their native livers and post-LT biliary atresia were similar across all domains (p=NS). Child self and parent proxy reports showed moderate agreement across all scales, except social functioning (poor to fair agreement). On multivariate regression analysis, black race and elevated total bilirubin were associated with lower Total and Psychosocial HRQOL summary scores. Conclusions HRQOL in patients with biliary atresia with their native livers is significantly poorer than healthy and similar to post-LT biliary atresia children. These findings identify significant opportunities to optimize the overall health of patients with biliary atresia.