The extent of biliary proliferation in liver biopsies from patients with biliary atresia at portoenterostomy is associated with the postoperative prognosis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: In biliary atresia (BA), a derangement in the biliary system remains, despite portoenterostomy performance. Many factors can influence the disease progression rate. This study aimed to analyze the association between biliary proliferation extent in biopsies from BA patients and postoperative prognosis.

METHODS

Biliary proliferation was evaluated by a morphometric analysis of the cytokeratin 7 positivity percentage (PCK7) in wedge liver biopsies from 47 BA patients. The extent of fibrosis was evaluated by a fibrosis score (FS). The outcome 1-year native liver survival was correlated, using a multivariable regression analysis, with PCK7, FS, and age at portoenterostomy.

RESULTS

The PCK7 ranged between 0.80% and 14.79% (M +/- SD = 7.36% +/- 4.15%). Patients who died or underwent transplantation had higher PCK7 than survivors with their native livers (P < .001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for PCK7 in relation to the outcome was 0.845 (P < .001). The cutoff point of PCK7 for the maximal effect on postoperative prognosis was 10.18% (sensitivity = 0.71, specificity = 0.88). The PCK7 was the only studied variable associated with 1-year native liver survival, independently of age and FS (P = .002).

CONCLUSION

The extent of biliary proliferation at portoenterostomy, evaluated by PCK7, was associated with 1-year native liver survival of BA patients.