Use of serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase to differentiate between extrahepatic biliary atresia and neonatal hepatitis.

The differentiation between extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) and neonatal hepatitis (NH) was studied in 53 Thai infants (39 males, 14 females) with obstructive cholangiopathy at the Department of Pediatrics, Siriraj hospital. Prevalence of EHBA was 25 per cent (13 of 15) overall. A higher prevalence of EHBA was found in females (8 of 13) while a higher prevalence of NH occurred in males (34 of 40). No difference was demonstrated in serum conjugated and total bilirubin, SGOT or alkaline phosphatase between EHBA and NH groups. The EHBA group had a significantly higher mean serum GGTP (184 +/- 77 IU/L) than the NH group (58 +/- 40 IU/L). The diagnostic usefulness of GGTP was confirmed, but variation in laboratory measurements could limit its generalizability.