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Color Doppler ultrasound findings could help significantly in discriminating BA from other causes of NC, among which hepatic subcapsular flow had the best performance. Considering the young age of BA patients (61.8 ± 15.1 days), hepatic subcapsular flow can help in early diagnosis of BA and prevent the delay in surgical correction.

Aim of the studyWe aimed to assess oxidative stress factors, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in children with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and their relation to treatment response.Material and methodsThe study included 50 children with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) before treatment (naïve HCV), 25 children responders to HCV treatment, 25 children non-responders to HCV treatment and 25 healthy controls. All patients and controls were subjected to GPX and MDA measurement by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe average GPX activity in erythrocytes of naïve CHC patients was 29.2 ±10.3 mU/ml. It was statistically significantly lower than the average activity of GPX in erythrocytes of the healthy control group (47.3 ±5.2 mU/ml) (p < 0.05). The average GPX activity in erythrocytes of the responder group was 34.93 ±3.17 mU/ml. It was statistically significantly higher than the average activity of GPX in erythrocytes of the non-responder group (11.7 ±4.2 mU/ml) (p < 0.05). Plasma MDA was significantly higher in naïve CHC patients than in healthy controls (9.7 ±3.7 nmol/ml vs. 3 ±1.1 nmol/ml, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, plasma MDA concentration was significantly decreased in the responder group (5.36 ±0.7 nmol/ml) and elevated in the non-responder group (16.05 ±2.9 nmol/ml).ConclusionsLower pretreatment levels of GPX and higher MDA level might be markers of oxidative stress occurring in HCV patients. Reversal of changes of these levels with completion of the treatment may indicate a correlation between oxidative stress and the viral pathogenesis.

Aim of the studyAssessment of hepatic expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in liver tissues of infants with biliary atresia (BA).Material and methodsThis retrospective study included 35 infants with BA (BA group), and 38 infants with cholestasis due to causes other than BA (non-BA group). All patients had undergone full history taking, through clinical examination, routine investigations and immunostaining of liver tissue for VEGF-A and cytokeratin 7 (CK7). The diagnosis of BA was confirmed by intraoperative cholangiography. In the non-BA group, other specific laboratory tests according to the expected etiology were done.ResultsMost of the BA group showed positive VEGF-A expression with variable degrees in both bile ducts (BDs; 80%), and arterial walls (AWs; 77.2%), while most of the non-BA group showed negative staining of VEGF in both BDs and AWs (89.5% and 86.8% respectively) (p < 0.0001). Positive VEGF expression in the portal structures in both BDs and AWs had 84.9% and 82.19% accuracy; respectively. The majority of BA group showed either grade II of positive cytokeratin-7 expression in liver tissues (45.7%) or grade III (34.3%), while most of the non-BA group showed grade I (71.1%) (p < 0.0001). Positive CK7 expression in > 25% of the liver tissues had 80.8% accuracy in discriminating between BA and non-BA.ConclusionsVEGF-A expression in the portal structures in liver tissues in both BDs and AWs had very good accuracy in discriminating between BA and non-BA patients.

The relationship of HPCs with both the severity of hepatitis and the stage of fibrosis may be because of a role of HPCs in their pathogenesis.