Intrahepatic cholestasis in childhood.

The apparent well-being of some children who as neonates were believed to have obstructive jaundice prompted us to study the clinical course, histologic features and possible etiologic factors in 17 children with cholestasis in the neonatal period. During a follow-up period of five months to 22 years, all had signs of chronic cholestasis, but only four died (two from nonhepatic causes); the others live remarkably normal lives. Serial hepatic biopsies in 11 showed a variety of initial lesions, which progressed to hypoplasia of the intrahepatic bile ducts, increasing portal fibrosis and eventual cirrhosis. Although evidence of possible viral infection was found in only 10 cases, a hepatitis, beginning either before or after birth, appears to be a likely original cause. The histologic changes seen may represent different stages of one process, starting as cholestasis with or without evidence of hepatitis and progressing to obliteration or failure of normal growth of the intrahepatic bile ducts.