NeoReviews February2013 (1)

EgyptianPediatrics Yahoo Group

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EgyptianPediatrics/

contents

NeoReviews offers 24 CME articles per year. A maximum of one AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM is earned after achieving a 60% score on each designated quiz.

CME statements:The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The AAP designates this journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity is acceptable for a maximum of 1.00 AAP credit. These credits can be applied toward the AAP CME/CPD* Award available to Fellows and Candidate Members of the AAP.

The American Academy of Physician Assistants accepts certifi cates of participation for educational activities certifi ed for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM from organizations accredited by ACCME. Physician assistants may claim a maximum of 1.00 hour of Category 1 credit for completing this program.

This program is accredited for 1.00 NAPNAP CE contact hour; pharmacology (Rx) contact hours to be determined per the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) Continuing Education Guidelines.

It has been established that each CME activity will take the learner approximately 1 hour to complete.*Continuing Professional DevelopmentHow to complete this activityNeoReviews can be accessed and reviewed in print or online at http://neoreviews.aappublications.org. Learn ers can claim credit monthly online upon completion of each CME article. The deadline for completing this activity is December 31, 2015. Credit will be recorded in the year in which it is submitted. It is estimated that it will take approximately 1 hour to complete each CME article. This activity is not considered to have been completed until the learner documents participation in that activity to the provider via online submission of answers. Course evaluations are online.

Editorial StaffEditor in Chief: Alistair G.S. Philip, Palo Alto, CAAssociate Editor: Josef Neu, Gainesville, FLAssistant Editor, CME: Henry C. Lee, Palo Alto, CAAssistant Editor, Visual Diagnosis, Video Corner: JoDee Anderson,

Portland, OR

Editorial Board:Dara Brodsky, Boston, MARobert Castro, Palo Alto, CAJoseph R. Hageman, Evanston, ILIvan Hand, Great Neck, NYM. Gary Karlowicz, Norfolk, VAJane McGowan, Philadelphia, PASteven A. Ringer, Boston, MARenate Savich, Albuquerque, NMKaren Shattuck, Galveston, TXWilliam Truog, Kansas City, MO

Founding Editor: William W. Hay Jr, Denver, COInternational Advisory Board:Claudine Amiel-Tison, Paris, FranceMalcolm Battin, Auckland, New ZealandMatts Blennow, Stockholm, SwedenJose Diaz Rossello, Montevideo, UruguayLex Doyle, Melbourne, AustraliaJanusz Gadzinowski, Poznan, PolandGorm Greisen, Copenhagen, DenmarkKazushige Ikeda, Tokyo, JapanIan Laing, Edinburgh, ScotlandFrank Pohlandt, Ulm, GermanyJorge Csar Martinez, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaSiddarth Ramji, New Delhi, IndiaFrancesco Raimondi, Naples, ItalyEric Shinwell, Jerusalem, IsraelBo Sun, Shanghai, ChinaCleide Trindade, Sao Paolo, BrazilMaximo Vento, Valencia, SpainAndrew Whitelaw, Bristol, United KingdomDavid Woods, Cape Town, South AfricaKhalid Yunis, Beirut, LebanonTsu-Fuy Yeh, Taichung, TaiwanLiaison, Council on International Neonatal Nurses:Carole Kenner, Boston, MALiaison, National Association for Neonatal Nurses:Susan Reinarz, PhD, DNP, ARNP, NNP-BC, Grand Prairie, TXManaging Editor: Luann ZanzolaEditorial Associate: Kathleen BernardPublisher: American Academy of PediatricsAssociate Executive Director for Education: Robert PerelmanDivision of Scholarly Journals Director: Michael Held

NeoReviews(ISSN 1526-9906) is owned and controlled by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is published monthly by the American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Blvd., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098.Statements and opinions expressed in NeoReviews are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the American Academy of Pediatrics or its Committees. Recommendations included in this publication do not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care.Subscription price for NeoReviews for 2013: AAP Member $115; AAP National Affiliate Member $86; Nonmember $130; Allied Health/In-training $101; AAP Perinatal Section Member $101. Institutions call for pricing (866-843-2271). AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, 2013. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. No part may be duplicated or reproduced without permission of the American Academy of Pediatrics. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NEOREVIEWS, American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Blvd., Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098.NeoReviews is supported, in part, through aneducational grant from Abbott Nutrition, a divisionof Abbott Laboratories, Inc.

NeoReviews Editorial Board DisclosuresThe American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy on Disclosure ofFinancial Relationships and Resolution of Conflicts of Interest for AAPCME Activities is designed to ensure quality, objective, balanced, andscientifically rigorous AAP CME activities by identifying and resolvingall potential conflicts of interest before the confirmation of service ofthose in a position to influence and/or control CME content.

All individuals in a position to influence and/or control the content ofAAP CME activities are required to disclose to the AAP andsubsequently to learners that the individual either has no relevantfinancial relationships or any financial relationships with themanufacturer(s) of any commercial product(s) and/or provider(s) ofcommercial services discussed in CME activities. Commercial interest isdefined as any entity producing, marketing, reselling or distributinghealth-care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients.

Each of the editorial board members, reviewers, question writers, andstaff has disclosed, if applicable, that the CME content he/she edits/writes/reviews may include discussion/reference to genericpharmaceuticals, off-label pharmaceutical use, investigational therapies,brand names, and manufacturers.

None of the editors, board members, reviewers, question writers, or staffhas any relevant financial relationships to disclose unless noted below. TheAAP has taken steps to resolve any potential conflicts of interest.

Disclosures JoDee Anderson, MD, MEd, FAAP, disclosed that she has a paid

consultant relationship with SimHealth. Josef Neu, MD, FAAP, disclosed that he serves as a consultant to

Abbott Nutrition, Mead Johnson, Medela, and Fonterra Foods; he receives honorarium from Nestl and Danone; and he has a research grant relationship with Covidien and Gerber.

NeoReviews Vol.14 No.2 February 2013

Answer key appears on page e99.

Articles

e57 Topics in Neonatal Informatics: Infants and Data in the

Electronic Health Record EraEugenia K. Pallotto, Patricia G. Hunt, Francine D. Dykes, David J. Durand, Karna Murthy

e63 Neonatal CholestasisAmy G. Feldman, Ronald J. Sokol

e74 Neonatal ThrombocytopeniaKaren S. Fernndez, Pedro de Alarcn

e83 Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and NewbornMary Beth Ross, Pedro de Alarcn

e89 Index of Suspicion in the Nursery: Preterm Infant Born

to Mother With High FeverDinushan Kaluarachchi, Tomas Munoz, Suresh Khanna, Yekaterina Sitnitskaya, Benamanahalli Rajegowda

e91 Strip of the Month: February 2013Maurice L. Druzin, Nancy Peterson

e100 Visual Diagnosis: Term Infant With Respiratory Distress

and DesaturationsAlice Hensley, Bernardo Kracer

DOI: 10.1542/neo.14-2-e572013;14;e57Neoreviews

MurthyEugenia K. Pallotto, Patricia G. Hunt, Francine D. Dykes, David J. Durand and Karna

Record EraTopics in Neonatal Informatics: Infants and Data in the Electronic Health

http://neoreviews.aappublications.org/content/14/2/e57located on the World Wide Web at:

The online version of this article, along with updated information and services, is

ISSN: . 60007. Copyright 2013 by the American Academy of Pediatrics. All rights reserved. Print the American Academy of Pediatrics, 141 Northwest Point Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, Illinois,it has been published continuously since . Neoreviews is owned, published, and trademarked by Neoreviews is the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A monthly publication,

Author Disclosure

Drs Pallotto, Hunt, Dykes, Durand, and

Murthy have disclosed no financial

relationships relevant to this article.

This commentary does not contain

a discussion of an unapproved/

investigative use of a commercial

product/device.

Infants and Data in the ElectronicHealth Record EraEugenia K. Pallotto, MD, MSCE,* Patricia G. Hunt, MD, MPH,* Francine D. Dykes, MD,

David J. Durand, MD, Karna Murthy, MDx

AbstractAdoption of electronic health records continues to proceed rapidly. Neo-natology offers unique barriers that must be addressed within the contin-ued development of the electronic health record. Reducing these barrierscan lead to improvements in the quality and safety of health-care deliveryfor the neonatal patient.

Objectives After completing this article, readers should be able to:

1. Gain an understanding of the challenges with implementation of the

electronic health record in the neonatal population.

2. Understand the potential opportunities for improving neonatal care with

the electronic health record.

IntroductionElectronic health record (EHR) adop-tion is proceeding rapidly in hospitalsin the United States and internation-ally. The ability to establish a longitu-dinal picture of a patients healthinformation is viewed as a key benetand requires documenting completeinformation at each patient encoun-ter. Data from each encounter arethen accessible for medical professio-nals providing care to the patient. Forthose patients requiring neonatal in-tensive care due to prematurity orother complex medical issues, it iscritically important that an accurateand thorough medical record isstarted in the NICU. Many of thesecomplex neonatal patients require

numerous follow-up visits with pedi-atric subspecialists throughout theirinfancy and childhood. The Child-rens Hospital Neonatal Database(CHND), implemented in 2010, isa database designed for collectionof demographic, interventional, andoutcome data on infants admittedto childrens hospitals NICUs. Inthis data set, as presented at theMay 2012 Childrens Hospital Asso-ciation Forum Series in San Diego,California, more than 50% of patients(entered as of early 2012) had one ortwo follow-up visits in addition totheir primary care providers, and ap-proximately 20% required three ormore referrals for outpatient follow-up. These follow-up needs may alsoextend into adulthood, particularlyas survival with congenital heart dis-ease or other birth anomalies increases.(1)(2)(3) Accurate and complete peri-natal and neonatal documentation isimperative to prevent failure in trans-ferring critical information betweenfetal, pediatric, and adult clinicians.

Abbreviations

CHND: Childrens HospitalNeonatal Database

EHR: electronic health recordRDS: respiratory distress syndrome

*Childrens Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City,

MO.Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA.Childrens Hospital & Research Center Oakland,

Oakland, CA.xAnn and Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital ofChicago, Chicago, IL.

topics in neonatal informatics

NeoReviews Vol.14 No.2 February 2013 e57

Easy access to historical data allowsclinicians to efciently assess trendsover time and to avoid duplicatetesting or repeat trials of therapy thathave previously been documented asineffective.

Longitudinal follow-up is onlyone reason to promote greater adap-tation to EHR systems. These sys-tems support the clinical goals ofefcient time use, as well as improve-ments in the quality and safety of thedelivered health-care and clinical de-cision support. (4) Beyond clinicalcare, other realms of health-care willbenet from an accurate, completeEHR. Patient safety, research, billing,medicolegal purposes, and qualityimprovement initiatives all rely on ac-curate, complete health records to ac-complish their goals. To this regard,the Centers for Medicare &MedicaidServices has developed meaningfuluse criteria, incentivizing centersto implement certied EHR technol-ogy to achieve their goals for health-care safety, quality, and efciency.Thus, clinicians and institutions mustidentify and generate solutions forthe inherent challenges that existwithin the EHR systems.

Challenges in Data Entry andQualityDespite the structure within the EHRthat allows clinicians to discretelydocument key pieces of the patientsclinical course, failures in consistentdocumentation of key clinical infor-mation such as patient goals havebeen demonstrated. (5) A review ofthe impact of the EHR and informa-tion quality described the effect ofelectronic information systems ondocumentation by health-care profes-sionals. The quality and reliability orprecision of documentation vary bothbetween data elements andwith differ-ent end users. Data accuracy and pre-cision in the EHR increase over time;however, documentation compliance

is shown to be low when decision sup-ports for documentation are deacti-vated. (6)(7)

In addition, variability in diagnosisassignment has been demonstratedboth within and across NICUs. Al-though not an inherent problemdue to EHR use, this diagnostic var-iability has an impact beyond the in-dividual patient. Eichenwald et al (8)demonstrated that inter-NICU varia-tion in the diagnosis of common neo-natal problems, such as apnea, had aclinically signicant impact on lengthof stay and hospital costs. In turn, di-agnostic variability reduces the abilityto compare populations and out-comes across hospitals. The specicityfor coding different neonatal diseases(eg, by using International Classica-tion of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes)is not ideal, leading to potential chal-lenges when interpreting results.Moreover, even when neonatologistscan agree on a diagnosis, they rarelyagree on the important data elementswhich led to that diagnosis. (9)

With diagnostic variability dem-onstrated across clinicians, by whatcriteria should a specic diagnosisbe ruled in? For example, did aninfant have respiratory distress syn-drome (RDS) if the clinician docu-mented RDS or only if the infantmet predetermined criteria? Doesthe data abstractor or does the clini-cian caring for the patient have the -nal say? This issue is not specic to theuse of the EHR for documentation;however, the application of the EHRin clinical care and subsequently fordata analyses or retrieval either for re-search or quality improvement effortshighlights this problem. Omitted di-agnoses in the medical documenta-tion for infants who did in fact meetpredetermined clinical criteria can beparticularly problematic. Systemati-cally, these omissions introduce biasin ascertaining cases and, later, in com-paring outcomes across centers.

An additional challenge for neona-tal data entry in the EHR, specicallywith very prolonged hospitalizations,is dening the resolution of diagnosesthat are known to physiologically re-solve. Continuing with our use caseof RDS, this problem is typically con-ned to the rst week after birth forpreterm infants. However, it may befrequently carried forward over thehospitalization and even to discharge,thereby reducing the specicity forwhich true RDS is actually referenc-ing.Thisnding represents a challengewhen extracting data, requiring signif-icant training to determine if RDS waspresent, if it did resolve, and if not,what diagnosis was actually present(because the biology is not consistentwith RDS persisting beyond the rstweek after birth). In addition, thistrend contributes to over-ascertainmentof RDS when a chronic and likely dif-ferent cause for pulmonary disease be-comes the dominant clinical problem(eg, evolving bronchopulmonarydysplasia or pneumonia). Regardless,with analyses, the incomplete or in-accurate resolution of time-limitedproblems will tend to contribute tobias when EHR data sets are gener-ated and analyzed.

Challenges in Data ExtractionAt rst glance, EHR documentationshould yield straightforward infor-mation regarding key clinical eldsor diagnoses that reect an infantshospital course. However, the con-icting and/or missing informationcan lead to challenges when dataare retrieved for clinical care, re-search, quality improvement initia-tives, or other reporting mandates.Multiple providers routinely recorddata in an individual patients EHRand may be documenting the sameinformation, but results may be con-icting. Gestational age is one exam-ple in which clinical estimates anduse of last menstrual period gestational


e58 NeoReviews Vol.14 No.2 February 2013

age assignments may vary. This vari-ation increases in the presence of pre-maturity, perhaps the most importanttime to have accuracy, because theimpact on tracking outcomes and re-porting health outcomes is so greatin this population of patients. (10)Conicting results lead to questionsand confusion when reviewing dataretrospectively and thus require cli-nicians to determine, What is thesource of truth? This variation mayoccur across patients but also withinindividual patients over time evenwithin an institution. In one reviewof practices in a NICU, clinical doc-umentation by resident physiciansreported discrepancies in 61.7% ofnotes with respect to weight, vascularlines, or prescribed medications. (11)Although resident physicians are stilllearning their trade, these discrep-ancies highlight areas of future workto improve documentation in thissetting.

Before attempting to obtain bench-marking data or data collection forother purposes, standardization ofeld ascertainment and denitionsmust be completed. Without thesesteps, comparability is undermined,and actionable interventions becomechallenging to develop and apply.In one pediatric hospital, signicantdifferences in adverse drug eventrates were identied from differentdata sources within this institutiondespite use of EHR tools. (12) Be-cause the focus of the EHR develop-ment has primarily been on structureddata element development, there havenot been similar efforts in assessmentof data accuracy or precision, particu-larly as these systems are upgradedand changed over time. (13)

The EHR offers an opportunity tocapture and to analyze large amountsof data. However, to date, efforts todo so by using electronic data transfershave been fraught with challenges. Denovo EHR systems typically do not

have the capability for data manage-ment, clinical decision support, sta-tistical testing, or reporting withoutenhancements. Inconsistent formatslimit electronic data transfers, althoughefforts to overcome these challengesare underway. One such effort isthe Unied Medical Language Sys-tem, which uses les and softwareto link health and biomedical vocab-ularies and standards, thus enablinginteroperability between computersystems. (14)

Improving Care With theElectronic Health RecordDespite these challenges, the EHRoffers fantastic opportunities to im-prove care systematically for the neo-natal patient, provided that reliableand accurate data entry and extrac-tion are the foundation of theseopportunities. Studies suggest thatto maximize documentation qualityand reliability, focused strategies areneeded to support clinicians. Collab-orative and educational efforts areneeded to identify solutions to mini-mize and ideally eliminate this vari-ability. These efforts are not onlyimportant for quality health-care,but accuracy and appropriate docu-mentation have a role in both medicalliability and risk management. (15)

The use of decision support withinthe EHR offers another potential im-provement for these issues. Providingclinicians or other health-care stake-holders with the pertinent knowledgecan enhance care. (16) Computer-generated recommendations havebeen shown, in randomized con-trolled trials, to improve patient carewhen offered at the time of decision-making and within the cliniciansworkow. (17) Specic studies havedemonstrated the benets of clinicaldecision support in the NICU for im-proving efciency, particularly as itrelates to medication administration

time and efciencies. (18)(19)(20)(21)

Reminders to clinicians to rule in,to rule out, to resolve, and to excludecertain diagnoses or even diagnosticcategories for various patient popula-tions would seem like the obvioussolution to improve care systemati-cally with the EHR. In real time,user prompts can be designed to con-rm that the diagnoses assigned meetcriteria established a priori and evenexclude categories that are unlikelyto meet the clinical circumstances(eg, hypospadias in a female patient).With RDS, the assignment of this di-agnosis in infants born at 40 weeksgestation is exceptionally unlikely,and support for clinicians to gener-ally avoid this assignment would behelpful. However, decision supportrequires an investment to plan thecontent of the tools as well as thecosts to design, test, and implementthese rules, which, with new evidence,are expected to change over time.Moreover, training each end user isan investment that, to date, would fallprimarily on clinical providers and in-stitutions. Presently, the costs and ef-forts to achieve this level of supportare not feasible for the neonatal pa-tient, particularly because these pa-tients comprise a small portion of thepopulation in many hospital systems.

One EHR strategy for improvingthese areas is the development andutilization of NICU-specic tem-plates and order sets. Appropriatelydesigned templates can support clini-cians in their efforts to documentcomplete and pertinent information.For example, with the documenta-tion of the insertion of an umbilicalartery line, a template can guide clini-cians in complete delineation of theevents surrounding the procedure(Table 1). Templates can also be de-veloped that will display data thathave been recorded in other areasof the EHR within the clinicians



notes, thus avoiding transcriptionerrors. Similarly, appropriately de-signedNICUorder sets offer amethodfor accurate, consistent order entry(Table 2). Although templates andorder sets may require extensive timeand personnel resources to developand then maintain (as well as updateas practices change), the ultimategoal with their use and implementa-tion is improved efciency, accuracy,and safety.

Integration and organization ofpatients health information to facili-tate distribution of the informationamong the team of providers caringfor patients are needed. Handofftools integrated into the EHR inthe NICU improve perception ofsign-out accuracy and provider satis-faction. (22) The EHR has the po-tential to improve the coordination

of care and decrease fragmentationparticularly benecial for those pa-tients (neonates) requiring sophis-ticated, high-quality medical care.(23) Complex neonatal patients,cared for by neonatologists fromtheir entry into the health-care sys-tem, often require multiple specialistevaluations and evaluations in multi-ple care settings. Using the EHR tocoordinate care through informationcan reduce medical errors, unneces-sary testing, and increase the chancesthat each specialist knows about rele-vant conditions managed by otherspecialists. The neonatologist coordi-nates many of these issues while theneonate is an inpatient. Establishinga solid foundation for documentation

of the conditions begins the steps to-ward longitudinal continuity of carefor our patients.

Collaboration and coordinationwithin and across centers are imper-ative to moving forward on theseopportunities. Efforts in improvingneonatal knowledge, quality, andbenchmarking initially established bythe efforts of the Vermont OxfordNetwork and the Eunice KennedyShriver National Institute of ChildHealth and Human DevelopmentsNeonatal Research Network, alongwith other national and internationalneonatal collaborations, continue toexpand. (24)(25) For example, theCHND began data collection in2010 and is challenged with the goal

Table 1. Template:Content forUmbilical ArteryCatheter InsertionProcedure Note

Date and time of procedure:Time out:Performing clinician:Supervising clinician:Informed consent:Indication for placement of

umbilical artery catheter:Preparation:Comfort measures provided:Sterile preparation:Premedications administered:Technique:Catheter size inserted:Centimeters catheter advanced into

umbilical artery:Estimated blood loss:Confirmation of location:Catheter tip location:Adjustments made to catheter

position:Complications:

Table 2. Example of NICU Insulin Order Set

Infusions for patients 1.9 kgRegular insulin 0.5 unit/mL in 0.45% sodium chloride, 0.1 unit/kg per h, IVRegular insulin 0.5 unit/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride, 0.1 unit/kg per h, IV

Infusions for patients 2 kgRegular insulin 1 unit/mL in 0.45% sodium chloride, 0.1 unit/kg per h, IVRegular insulin 1 unit/mL in 0.9% sodium chloride, 0.1 unit/kg per h, IV

Bolus dosingRegular insulin 1 unit/mL, 0.1 unit/kg, subcutaneously, once

IVintravenously.

Figure. Gastroschisis patient care interfacility variation provides data for possiblecollaborative quality efforts. Data presented at the May 2012 Childrens HospitalAssociation Forum Series in San Diego, California. CHND[Childrens HospitalNeonatal Database.



of continuing to harmonize data eldsacross databases and institutions whileexpanding the ability to benchmarkoutcomes for uncommon neonatal di-agnoses. Variation in the percentageof ventilator days per patient days,across CHND centers, provides anexample of variation in care thatcollaborative efforts could better un-derstand and, through quality im-provement, minimize variation whenclinically appropriate (Fig). Capturingclinical data for quality improvementefforts is an expensive undertakingbut remains essential to continue toimprove the quality and the cost-effectiveness of medical care withinneonatology. Utilization of the EHRto streamline documentation and in-crease efciencies of data retrievalwhile maintaining clinically relevantmedical records should be feasible.As the data systems that are primarilydesigned for administrative monitor-ing are further developed, care mustbe taken not to impede the clinicalprocess. Efforts at balancing standard-ization and reporting needs must alsoensure that clinicians workow andefciency needs are met as well.

ConclusionsIt is imperative, as we move forwardin national efforts for neonatal pa-tients, that we engage EHR vendorsto support the clinicians abilities todocument accurate, valid, and clearlydened data elements in neonatologyboth across and within institutions.Initiating, from the time of birth, amedical record that comprehensivelycaptures risk factors (pre-exposureand postexposure), therapies, and re-sults for the neonatal patient can setthe stage for the continuum of carethroughout the individuals life.

Pressure for public reporting andtransparency make narrowing thisvariability in data element ascertain-ment and documentation paramount.

Advancing real-time decision supportsystems to increase the validity ofentered data as well as the cliniciansworkow efciencies are urgentlyneeded. Attempting to reduce thebarriers of varying diagnoses anddocumentation strategies will fosterfurther clinical care, research aims,and quality improvement initiativesto improve the quality and safety ofhealth-care delivered for the neonatalpatient. Multi-institutional efforts areneeded to meet these goals. In addi-tion, we must engage national andstate policy makers to prioritize neo-natology quality measures and healthinformation exchange standards sothat the vendors will follow suit.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.The authorsacknowledge the assistance of the ex-ecutive council members of the Child-rens Hospitals Neonatal Consortium:Jacquelyn Evans, MD; Jeanette Asse-lin, MS, RT; Michael Padula, MD;Kristina Reber, MD; and Billie LouShort, MD.

References1. Incentive Programs EHR. The OfcialWeb Site for the Medicare and MedicaidElectronic Health Records (EHR) IncentivePrograms. Available at: https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/index.html. AccessedAugust 26, 20122. Warnes CA, Liberthson R, DanielsonGK, et al. Task force 1: the changing pro-le of congenital heart disease in adult life.J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;37(5):11701175

3. Carden KA, Boiselle PM, Waltz DA,Ernst A. Tracheomalacia and tracheo-bronchomalacia in children and adults: anin-depth review. Chest. 2005;127(3):98410054. Christensen K, Juel K, Herskind AM,Murray JC. Long term follow up study ofsurvival associated with cleft lip and palate atbirth. BMJ. 2004;328(7453):14055. Collins SA, Bakken S, Vawdrey DK,Coiera E, Currie LM. Agreement betweencommon goals discussed and documentedin the ICU. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2011;18(1):45506. Hyrinen K, Saranto K, Nyknen P.Denition, structure, content, use and im-pacts of electronic health records: a reviewof the research literature. Int J Med Inform.2008;77(5):2913047. Haberman S, Rotas M, Perlman K,Feldman JG. Variations in compliance withdocumentation using computerized obstet-ric records. Obstet Gynecol. 2007;110(1):1411458. Eichenwald EC, Zupancic JA, MaoWY, Richardson DK, McCormick MC,Escobar GJ. Variation in diagnosis ofapnea in moderately preterm infants pre-dicts length of stay. Pediatrics. 2011;127(1):e53e589. Brown P, Guerlain S, Gordon P, BauerD. Variations in faculty assessment of NICUowsheet data: implications for electronicdata display. Int J Med Inform. 2011;80(7):52953210. Mustafa G, David RJ. Comparativeaccuracy of clinical estimate versus men-strual gestational age in computerized birthcerticates. Public Health Rep. 2001;116(1):152111. Carroll AE, Tarczy-Hornoch P,OReilly E, Christakis DA. Resident docu-mentation discrepancies in a neonatal in-tensive care unit. Pediatrics. 2003;111(5 pt1):97698012. Kahn MG, Ranade D. The impact ofelectronic medical records data sources on anadverse drug event quality measure. J AmMed Inform Assoc. 2010;17(2):18519113. Thiru K, Hassey A, Sullivan F. System-atic review of scope and quality of electronicpatient record data in primary care. BMJ.2003;326(7398):107014. US National Library of Medicine, Na-tional Institutes of Health. Unied MedicalLanguage System (UMLS). UMLSquick start guide. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/quickstart.html. Accessed August 26, 201215. Donn SM. Medical liability, risk man-agement, and the quality of health care.

American Board of PediatricsNeonatalPerinatal ContentSpecifications

Know the issues inthe organization ofperinatal care (eg,regionalization,transport qualitycontrol, practiceguidelines).



Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2005;10(1):3916. Osheroff JA, Teich JM, Middleton B,Steen EB, Wright A, Detmer DE. A roadmapfor national action on clinical decision support.J AmMed Inform Assoc. 2007;14(2):14114517. Kawamoto K, Houlihan CA, Balas EA,Lobach DF. Improving clinical practice usingclinical decision support systems: a systematicreview of trials to identify features critical tosuccess. BMJ. 2005;330(7494):76576818. Taylor JA, Loan LA, Kamara J, BlackburnS, Whitney D. Medication administration vari-ances before and after implementation of com-puterized physician order entry in a neonatalintensive care unit. Pediatrics. 2008;121(1):12312819. Cordero L, Kuehn L, Kumar RR,Mekhjian HS. Impact of computerized

physician order entry on clinical practice ina newborn intensive care unit. J Perinatol.2004;24(2):889320. Chapman AK, Lehmann CU, DonohuePK, Aucott SW. Implementation of comput-erized provider order entry in a neonatalintensive care unit: Impact on admission work-ow. Int J Med Inform. 2012;81(5):29129521. Maat B, Rademaker CM, Oostveen MI,Krediet TG, Egberts TC, Bollen CW. Theeffect of a computerized prescribing andcalculating system on hypo- and hypergly-cemias and on prescribing time efciency inneonatal intensive care patients [publishedonline April 25, 2012]. JPEN J ParenterEnteral Nutr. Available at http://pen.sagepub.com/content/early/2012/04/23/0148607112444608. Accessed December3, 2012

22. Palma JP, Sharek PJ, Longhurst CA.Impact of electronic medical record integra-tion of a handoff tool on sign-out ina newborn intensive care unit. J Perinatol.2011;31(5):31131723. Health IT.gov. Benets of EHRs. Im-proved care coordination. Available at: http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/improved-care-coordination. Accessed August26, 201224. Horbar JD, Plsek PE, Leahy K, FordP. The Vermont Oxford Network: improv-ing quality and safety through multidisci-plinary collaboration. NeoReviews. 2004;5(2):e42e4925. NICHD Neonatal Research Network.Background and overview. Available at:https://neonatal.rti.org/about/network.cfm.Accessed August 26, 2012




MurthyEugenia K. Pallotto, Patricia G. Hunt, Francine D. Dykes, David J. Durand and Karna

Record EraTopics in Neonatal Informatics: Infants and Data in the Electronic Health

ServicesUpdated Information &

http://neoreviews.aappublications.org/content/14/2/e57including high resolution figures, can be found at:

References

http://neoreviews.aappublications.org/content/14/2/e57#BIBLat: This article cites 20 articles, 10 of which you can access for free

Subspecialty Collections

orn_infanthttp://neoreviews.aappublications.org/cgi/collection/fetus_newbFetus and Newborn Infantfollowing collection(s): This article, along with others on similar topics, appears in the

Permissions & Licensing

/site/misc/Permissions.xhtmltables) or in its entirety can be found online at: Information about reproducing this article in parts (figures,

Reprints/site/misc/reprints.xhtmlInformation about ordering reprints can be found online:


Amy G. Feldman and Ronald J. SokolNeonatal Cholestasis




Neonatal CholestasisAmy G. Feldman, MD,*

Ronald J. Sokol, MD

Author Disclosure

Drs Feldman and Sokol

have disclosed no

financial relationships

relevant to this article.

This commentary does

contain a discussion of

an unapproved/

investigative use of

a commercial product/

device.

Educational Gaps

1. Early diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis is potentially life-saving; however, delayed

diagnosis remains a problem.

2. There are several key steps in evaluating the patient who has cholestasis, and following

these steps in a timely manner is crucial to identifying the underlying etiology.

3. Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common cause of cholestasis, and although an

effective BA screening program was created in Taiwan and is being initiated in many

countries around the world, the programs success is not assured in the United States

because there is no standard 1-month infant health provider visit, in spite of the

public health benefit.

AbstractCholestatic jaundice is a common presenting feature of neonatal hepatobiliary andmetabolic dysfunction. Any infant who remains jaundiced beyond age 2 to 3 weeksshould have the serum bilirubin level fractionated into a conjugated (direct) and un-conjugated (indirect) portion. Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia is never physiologic ornormal. The differential diagnosis of cholestasis is extensive, and a step-wise approachbased on the initial history and physical examination is useful to rapidly identify theunderlying etiology. Early recognition of neonatal cholestasis is essential to ensuretimely treatment and optimal prognosis. Even when specic treatment is not available,infants who have cholestasis benet from early medical management and optimizationof nutrition. Future studies are necessary to determine the most reliable and cost-effective method of universal screening for neonatal cholestasis.

Objectives After completing this article, readers should be able to:

1. Understand when a jaundiced infant needs evaluation for cholestatic liver disease.

2. List the differential diagnosis for cholestatic liver disease of the neonate and identify

those causes that are amenable to immediate medical

or surgical intervention.

3. Describe the step-wise approach to evaluation of

a cholestatic infant.

4. Understand the importance of early screening for

cholestatic liver disease and be aware of new research

suggesting the importance of early laboratory values in

identifying cholestatic infants.

IntroductionJaundice, a yellow discoloration of the skin, sclera, mucousmembranes, and bodily uids, is a common clinical nding

Abbreviations

A1AT: a1-antitrypsinBA: biliary atresiaGGT: g-glutamyl transpeptidaseHPE: hepatic portoenterostomyINH: idiopathic neonatal hepatitisPFIC: progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasisPN: parenteral nutritionPNAC: parenteral nutritionassociated cholestasisSBS: short bowel syndrome

*Fellow in Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado School of

Medicine, and Digestive Health Institute, Childrens Hospital Colorado, CO.Professor and Vice Chair of Pediatrics, Chief of Section of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Department of

Pediatrics, and Director of Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, University of Colorado Denver, and Digestive

Health Institute, Childrens Hospital Colorado, CO.

Article gastrointestinal disorders


in the rst 2 weeks after birth, occurring in 2.4% to 15%of newborns. (1) Most often, jaundice is of the indirect/unconjugated bilirubin variety and resolves spontane-ously without intervention. However, persistent jaun-dice is abnormal and can be the presenting sign ofserious hepatobiliary and metabolic dysfunction. Whenjaundice persists beyond age 2 weeks, cholestasis or con-jugated hyperbilirubinemia must be considered in thedifferential diagnosis. Cholestasis represents an impair-ment in bile ow and may be caused by either an in-trahepatic or extrahepatic disorder. To differentiatecholestasis from benign causes of jaundice, the serumbilirubin must be fractionated into conjugated (ordirect) and unconjugated (or indirect) fractions. Conju-gated hyperbilirubinemia is generally dened as a conju-gated or direct bilirubin level greater than 1 mg/dLwhen the total bilirubin is less than 5 mg/dL or morethan 20% of the total bilirubin if the total bilirubin isgreater than 5 mg/dL. Conjugated hyperbilirubinemiais never physiologic or normal. Unconjugated hyperbi-lirubinemia, conversely, is a common nding and canresult from physiologic jaundice, breastfeeding and hu-man milkassociated jaundice, red blood cell hemolysis,hypothyroidism, Gilbert syndrome, or Crigler-Najjarsyndrome. Clues to the diagnosis of cholestasis includehepatomegaly, diarrhea and poor weight gain, hypopig-mented or acholic stools, and dark urine that may stainthe diaper.

Any infant who remains jaundiced beyond age 2 to3 weeks needs to be evaluated to rst exclude neonatalcholestasis and, if present, to rapidly identify those causesof cholestasis that are amenable to medical or surgicaltreatment. Even when specic treatment is not availableor curative, infants who have cholestasis benet fromearly medical management and optimization of nutritionto prevent complications. Despite data showing that earlydiagnosis of cholestasis and its etiologies is potentiallylife-saving, (2) delayed diagnosis remains a problem. (3)Early hospital discharge of newborns, inadequate follow-up of persisting jaundice, false reassurance by the ap-pearance of pigmented stool, uctuating serum bilirubinlevels, and misdiagnosis of human milkassociated jaun-dice are all cited as reasons for late referral for evaluationof cholestasis. (3)(4)(5)

EtiologyCholestatic jaundice affects approximately 1 in every2,500 infants and has a multitude of causes. (6) Thenumber of unique disorders presenting with cholestasisin the neonatal period may be greater than at any other

time in life and include infections, anatomic abnormalitiesof the biliary system, endocrinopathies, genetic disorders,metabolic abnormalities, toxin and drug exposures, vas-cular abnormalities, neoplastic processes, and other mis-cellaneous causes (Table 1). (7) Of the many conditionsthat cause neonatal cholestasis, the most commonly iden-tiable are biliary atresia (BA) (25%35%), genetic disor-ders (25%), metabolic diseases (20%), and a1-antitrypsin(A1AT) deciency (10%). (8) In older series, idiopathicneonatal hepatitis (INH) was the most common causeof neonatal cholestasis, with a reported incidence of 1 in4,800 to 1 in 9,000 live births. (9) However, with thediscovery of specic etiologies that share the phenotypeof INH in addition to more advanced diagnostic meth-ods, the incidence of INH has decreased substantially.In infants born prematurely and in those who have shortbowel syndrome (SBS) or intestinal failure, parenteral nu-tritionassociated cholestasis (PNAC) commonly developsin those receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) for morethan 2 to 4 weeks.

Clinical FeaturesThe typical ndings in an infant who has cholestasis areprotracted jaundice, scleral icterus, acholic stools, darkyellow urine, and hepatomegaly. It should be noted thatthere may be a perception of decreasing jaundice overthe rst weeks after birth as the indirect bilirubin compo-nent (from human milkassociated jaundice) decreases,causing false reassurance that the jaundice is resolvingand need not be evaluated further. Acholic stools in aninfant should always prompt further evaluation. Some in-fants may have coagulopathy secondary to vitamin K mal-absorption and deciency and present with bleeding orbruising. Coagulopathy may also be caused by liver fail-ure, indicating either severe metabolic derangement ofthe liver (as in respiratory chain deciency disorders)or cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease (as in neonatalhemochromatosis). Splenomegaly can be observed ininfants who have cirrhosis and portal hypertension, stor-age diseases, and hemolytic disorders. Neurologic abnor-malities including irritability, lethargy, poor feeding,hypotonia, or seizures can indicate sepsis, intracranialhemorrhage, metabolic (including Zellweger syndrome)and mitochondrial disorders, or severe liver dysfunctionresulting in hyperammonemia and encephalopathy. Lowbirth weight, thrombocytopenia, petechiae and purpura,and chorioretinitis are often associated with congenitalinfection. Facial dysmorphism may suggest a chromo-somal abnormality or Alagille syndrome. A palpable massin the right upper quadrant may indicate a choledochal

gastrointestinal disorders cholestasis


Table 1. Differential Diagnosis of Neonatal Cholestasis

Infectious Genetic and Metabolic

Viral (adenovirus; cytomegalovirus; coxsackievirus;Epstein-Barr; echovirus; enterovirus; hepatitisA, B, or C; herpes simplex; human immunodeficiencyvirus; parvovirus; reovirus; rubella)

A1AT deficiency

Bacterial (urinary tract infection, sepsis, listeriosis,tuberculosis)

Alagille syndrome

Spirochete (syphilis, leptospirosis) Aagenaes syndromeParasites (toxoplasmosis, malaria, toxocariasis) Arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis syndromeHistoplasmosis Bile acid synthetic defects

Cholestasis of North American IndiansCholesterol synthesis defectsCitrin deficiencyCystic fibrosisDubin-Johnson syndromeFatty acid oxidation defects (SCAD, LCAD)GalactosemiaGlycogen storage disease type 4GRACILE syndromeHereditary fructose intoleranceIndian childhood cirrhosisMitochondrial respiratory chain disordersNeonatal iron storage diseaseNiemann-Pick disease type CPeroxisomal disorders (including Zellweger syndrome)PFIC 1, 2, and 3 (FIC1, BSEP, or MDR3 deficiency)Rotor syndromeLipid storage diseases (eg, Wolman, Gaucher, Farber)Trisomy 13, 18, or 21; Turner syndromeTyrosinemiaUrea cycle defects, arginase deficiency

Endocrine ToxinsHypothyroidism Drugs (ceftriaxone, chloral hydrate, erythromycin, ethanol,

isoniazid, methotrexate, rifampin, sulfa-containingproducts, tetracycline)

Hypopituitarism (septo-optic dysplasia) Total parenteral nutritionassociated cholestasisMcCune-Albright syndrome Herbal productsAnatomic obstruction OtherBiliary atresia Cardiovascular abnormalitiesCaroli disease Ischemia-reperfusion injuryCholedochal cyst or other congenital bile duct anomaly Perinatal asphyxiaCongenital hepatic fibrosis Extracorporeal membrane oxygenationGallstones or biliary sludge Budd-Chiari syndromeInspissated bile syndrome Veno-occlusive diseaseNeonatal sclerosing cholangitis Graft-versus-host diseaseNonsyndromic bile duct paucity Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosisSpontaneous perforation of the bile duct Idiopathic neonatal hepatitisTumor/mass Neonatal lupus erythematosus

Malignancy (neonatal leukemia)

A1ATalpha1-antitrypsin, LCADlong chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, PFICprogressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, SCADshort-chain acyl-CoAdehydrogenase, TPGSD-a-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1,000 succinate.



cyst. A cardiac murmur increases the likelihood ofAlagille syndrome or BA. Although 20% of BA patientswill have other extrahepatic congenital malformations(including cardiac anomalies, situs inversus, intestinalmalrotation, midline liver, and polysplenia or asplenia),the majority of patients who have BA are well appearingduring the rst month after birth, and there is no singlehistorical or physical examination nding that uniquelysuggests BA.

Evaluation of Neonatal CholestasisEvaluation of a jaundiced infant should begin with frac-tionation of serum bilirubin into total and direct (orconjugated) bilirubin. Infants who have cholestasis willgenerally have a direct (or conjugated) bilirubin greaterthan 2.0 mg/dL, which will be more than 20% of thetotal bilirubin concentration. Recent data suggest thatin the rst 4 days after birth, the cutoff for elevated di-rect bilirubin may be greater than 0.8 mg/dL and morethan 8% to 10% of the total bilirubin. (10) Another re-cent study suggested that in the rst 14 days after birth,the cutoff for elevated conjugated bilirubin may begreater than 0.5 mg/dL, and for direct bilirubin greaterthan 2 mg/dL. (11) Clearly, further careful study isneeded to determine the normal distribution of directand conjugated bilirubin levels and their percentageof total bilirubin, and to establish abnormal cutoffsbased on day of age.

If cholestasis is present, further evaluation should becompleted with a sense of urgency because patients whohave BA have a better outcome if they undergo a Kasaihepatic portoenterostomy (HPE) before age 30 to 45 days,and other conditions (eg, hypothyroidism) require prompttreatment. Levels of liver enzymes, including alanineaminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkalinephosphatase, are usually elevated in a cholestatic infantbut are poor predictors of etiology. g-Glutamyl transpep-tidase (GGT) is generally elevated during cholestasis (par-ticularly in extrahepatic obstructive lesions and thoseinvolving intrahepatic bile ducts); however, a low or nor-mal GGT out of proportion to the degree of cholestasissuggests the presence of progressive familial intrahepaticcholestasis (PFIC) type 1, PFIC type 2, an inborn errorof bile acid synthesis or metabolism, or panhypopituita-rism. GGT may be normal or elevated in PNAC. Baselinealbumin, glucose, and prothrombin time/internationalnormalized ratios are useful in assessing the degree of liversynthetic dysfunction. Severe coagulopathy that is unre-sponsive to parenteral vitamin K suggests synthetic liverfailure, metabolic disease, or sepsis. A low serum albumin

level may indicate liver synthetic failure, undernutrition,or protein loss from the kidney or intestine.

Depending on the clinical scenario, bacterial culturesfrom blood and urine may be indicated. The search forcongenital viral infection may include a combinationof cultures and serologies; immunoglobulin Gbased se-rologies indicate transplacental transport of maternal im-munoglobulin G rather than neonatal infection. Thenewborn screen can be helpful in identifying galactosemiaand hypothyroidism, two treatable causes of cholestasis.An elevated immunoreactive trypsinogen on the new-born screen raises suspicion for cystic brosis and shouldbe followed up with genetic testing and/or a sweat test todetermine if the infant has cystic brosis. A low serumA1AT level and an abnormal protease inhibitor pheno-type (PIZZ and PISZ) are used to identify A1AT de-ciency. Other tests that are commonly used to establisha specic diagnosis include urinary-reducing substancesor red blood cell galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferasedrawn before any blood transfusions (for galactosemia),urine succinylacetone (for hereditary tyrosinemia), sweattest (for cystic brosis), thyroid-stimulating hormone andthyroxine (for hypothyroidism), total serum bile acidlevel and urine bile acid prole (for disorders of bile acidsynthesis), serum amino acids and urine organic andamino acids (for citrin deciency, fatty acid oxidation de-fects, and other metabolic diseases), very long chain fattyacid levels (for peroxisomal disorders), and other infec-tious agent serologies as indicated. Genetic testing forAlagille syndrome, cystic brosis, A1AT deciency, threedistinct forms of PFIC, and peroxisomal defects are com-mercially available. In the near future, next-generationDNA sequencing will allow for multiple genetic testson small amounts of blood at a relatively low cost. (12)

An abdominal ultrasound examination should be ob-tained as part of the early evaluation of a cholestatic infantto assess liver structure, size, and composition; to evaluatefor the presence of ascites; and to identify ndings of anextrahepatic obstructive lesion (choledochal cyst, mass,gallstone, and sludge). Ultrasound ndings suggestiveof BA include a triangular cord sign (cone-shaped broticmass cranial to the bifurcation of the portal vein) or ab-sence of the gallbladder; however, these ndings cannotbe reliably used to diagnose BA as they are neither highlysensitive nor specic. (13)(14) Ultrasound can also detectpolysplenia or asplenia, interrupted inferior vena cava,preduodenal portal vein, and situs inversus; all of theseconditions would strongly suggest BA splenic malforma-tion syndrome and other laterality defects. Common bileduct dilation is not seen in BA and suggests a distal ob-struction or a forme fruste choledochal cyst.



If a cardiac murmur is appreciated on physical exam-ination, an echocardiogram should be obtained to assessfor cardiac anomalies. Up to 24% of patients who haveAlagille syndrome and a subset of BA patients will havestructural heart disease. A chest radiograph may revealcardiomegaly or buttery vertebrae in patients who haveAlagille syndrome. A careful slit-lamp examination mayreveal posterior embryotoxon or other anterior chamberabnormalities in an infant who has Alagille syndrome orchorioretinitis in an infant who has a congenital infection.

Hepatobiliary scintigraphy with a technetium-labelediminodiacetic acid analogue can sometimes be of assistancein distinguishing obstructive from nonobstructive causesof cholestasis. In a healthy infant, injected radioisotype istaken up by the hepatocytes, secreted into the biliary sys-tem, and then excreted into the small intestine within24 hours. Slow uptake of the injected radioisotope or non-visualization of the liver with persistence of the cardiacpool suggests hepatocellular dysfunction, whereas nonvi-sualization of the radioisotope in the small intestine at 4to 24 hours suggests either bile duct obstruction or thesevere inability of the hepatocyte to secrete. The sensitiv-ity of scintigraphy for BA is relatively high (83%100%);however, its specicity is low (33%80%), (15)(16) lim-iting its use to differentiate BA from other nonsurgicalconditions. Pretreatment with phenobarbital may increasetest sensitivity. Many centers do not routinely use this testin the evaluation of cholestatic infants because it may de-lay the diagnostic evaluation without providing denitivediagnostic information. At this time, endoscopic retro-grade cholangiopancreatography and magnetic resonancecholangiopancreatography are of limited usefulness forthe evaluation of neonatal cholestasis.

Percutaneous liver biopsy remains an important diag-nostic tool in evaluating neonatal cholestasis and can beperformed safely in even the smallest infants. In severalsingle-center studies, a diagnosis of BA was correctly sug-gested by liver biopsy histologic ndings in 90% to 95%of cases. (17) A more recent study suggests a somewhatlower predictive value of liver biopsy ndings when exam-ined in a multicenter research network. (18) Characteristichistologic ndings of BA include bile plugs in the portaltract bile duct, bile ductular proliferation, and portal tractedema and brosis. Results of a liver biopsy can be helpfulin establishing other causes of neonatal cholestasis, in-cluding A1AT deciency (periodic acid Schiff-positive, dia-stase-resistant intrahepatocytic globules), Alagille syndrome(bile duct paucity), neonatal sclerosing cholangitis (necroin-ammatory duct lesions), viral infection (cytomegalovirusor herpes simplex virus inclusions), metabolic liver diseases(steatosis and pseudoacinar formation of hepatocytes),

PFIC and storage diseases (electron microscopy ndings),and INH (multinuclear giant cells, extramedullary hemato-poiesis, and hepatocellular cholestasis). Liver histologic nd-ings in PNAC may resemble all the features of BA and arenot useful in differentiating between the two conditions.Repeat liver biopsies may occasionally be needed if the di-agnosis is unclear; several of these diseases are dynamic andmay not be diagnosable by using results of liver biopsy ifperformed early in the disease course.

In cases in which BA, choledochal cyst, or biliary tractstone disease is suspected, the infant should undergo in-traoperative cholangiography through a mini-laparotomyto delineate the biliary anatomy and localize the area ofobstruction. The surgeon should be prepared and capa-ble of performing an HPE for BA or choledochal cystcorrective surgery during the same surgical session ifthese lesions are found on cholangiography. The decisionto pursue cholangiography in infants who have SBS withsuspected PNAC but who develop acholic stools may bedifcult and requires careful consideration of the surgicaloptions if BA is found.

Specific Disorders Resulting in NeonatalCholestasis

Biliary AtresiaBA occurs in 1 in 6,000 to 18,000 live births and is anidiopathic brosing cholangiopathy of unknown etiologythat leads to complete obstruction of the extrahepatic bileduct during the rst few months after birth, progressivebiliary cirrhosis, and eventual death if left untreated. It ismore common in Asians and African Americans, witha slight female predominance. BA is the leading causeof neonatal cholestasis and the most common reasonfor pediatric liver transplantation, accounting for 40% to50% of children who undergo transplantation. The major-ity of children who have BA appear to be healthy thrivinginfants who develop or have persisting jaundice andacholic stools at approximately age 3 to 6 weeks. Up to20% of infants who have BA have congenital malforma-tions, including the BA splenic malformation syndrome(w8%) or other isolated major congenital malformations,the so-called fetal/embryonic form. These infants may ap-pear jaundiced at birth and remain so. The remaining 80%of infants who have BA have isolated atresia without othercongenital malformations and are labeled as having theperinatal or so-called acquired form.

At the time of diagnosis, an HPE procedure is per-formed during which a Roux-en-Y loop of intestine is anas-tomosed to a carefully dissected hilum of the liver tocreate a conduit for biliary drainage. The rate of success



in re-establishing bile ow is dependent on the age of theinfant when the HPE is performed. There is up to an 80%success rate if the surgery takes place at less than age 30 to45 days; however, fewer than 20% of patients who undergoHPE at older than 90 days achieve bile drainage. (2)(19)(20) If jaundice successfully clears after HPE, the 10-yeartransplant-free survival rate ranges from 75% to 90%; con-versely, if jaundice (serum total bilirubin higher than1.52.0 mg/dL) persists after HPE, the 3-year transplant-free survival rate is 20%. Eventually, the vast majority of pa-tients who have BAhave progressive disease, with at least 80%requiring liver transplantation by age 20 years. (21) Of thosewho survive into the third decade after birth, almost all haveportal hypertension or other complications of cirrhosis.

a1-Antitrypsin DeficiencyA1AT deciency is an autosomal recessive disorder, mostcommon in those of Northern European descent and ex-tremely unusual in Asians. It is the most common inheritedcause of neonatal cholestasis, affecting approximately 1in 2,000 live births. Affected individuals have a misfoldedA1AT protein that fails to be secreted normally by the he-patocyte, leading to decreased A1AT activity in the bloodand lungs and excess retention in hepatocytes. The circu-lating deciency of A1AT leads to a failure to neutralizeneutrophil elastase in the lungs and premature emphy-sema in young adults. Forty percent to 50% of infantswho have the PIZZ phenotype may have asymptomaticabnormal liver biochemical test results in the rst yearafter birth, and 10% to 15% will develop neonatal chole-stasis. However, less than 25% of those presenting withcholestasis will progress to end-stage liver disease duringchildhood. (22) Eight percent to 15% of patients willdevelop clinically signicant liver disease during their life-time. There is no specic treatment for A1AT deciency.Children who develop cirrhosis and liver failure may re-quire liver transplantation.

Alagille SyndromeAlagille syndrome is an autosomal dominant multisystemdisorder characterized by a paucity of intralobular bileducts and occurring in approximately 1 in 70,000 livebirths. Almost all patients have a mutation in the JAG-GED 1 gene that encodes a ligand in the Notch signalingpathway. Patients who have Alagille syndrome havea combination of neonatal cholestasis and bile duct pau-city, congenital heart disease (with peripheral pulmonaryartery stenosis being the most common lesion), dysmor-phic facies (triangular face, broad forehead and deep-seteyes, small pointed chin, and bulbous nose), buttery ver-tebrae, ocular posterior embryotoxon, renal anomalies,

vascular abnormalities (including intracranial lesions inup to 12% of patients), and short stature. (9)(22) The out-come of Alagille syndrome is largely dependent on the in-dividuals particular clinical manifestations, especially theseverity of the cardiac and renal lesions. For those present-ing with cholestatic liver disease in infancy, 20% to 50% willrequire liver transplantation or succumb to cardiac or renaldisease by age 20 years. (24)

Parenteral NutritionAssociated CholestasisOverall, 18% to 67% of infants who receive prolongedcourses of PN (longer than 14 days) develop liver injuryand cholestasis. (25) The incidence of PNAC is corre-lated inversely with birthweight and directly with dura-tion of PN therapy. (26) In a study of more than1,300 infants, the incidence of PNAC increased from14% in infants who received PN for 14 to 28 days to86% in those infants who received PN for more than100 days. Infants who have sepsis, bacterial overgrowthof the small intestine, and intestinal failure (secondaryto necrotizing enterocolitis, gastroschisis, or intestinalatresia) are at increased risk for developing PNAC.(26)(27) The presence of cholestasis is the leading pre-dictor of mortality in infants who have short bowelsyndrome. (28)

The pathogenesis of PNAC is thought to be multifac-torial. The soybean-based lipid emulsion component ofPN has been implicated as a potential causative factorin PNAC. However, the lipid emulsion component ofPN cannot be completely removed because it providesan energy-dense source of calories and essential fattyacids. There is evidence that restriction of the intravenousfat emulsion to 1 g/kg two to three times per week canreduce total bilirubin without causing growth failure orsevere essential fatty acid deciency. (29) Therapeuticlipid restriction (to 11.5 g/kg per day) is currently rec-ommended for infants who have developed PNAC. (30)Omegaven (Fresenius, Homburg, Germany), an inves-tigational product in the United States, is a sh oilbasedlipid emulsion composed of omega-3 fatty acids insteadof omega-6 fatty acids, and is devoid of plant sterols.It has been used as a substitute for the standard soy-bean-based lipid emulsions, although only at doses of1.5 g/kg per day. Several case series have reported thatOmegaven seems to be safe and effective in reversingPNAC compared with historical controls receiving soylipidbased lipid emulsions. A prospective clinical trialcomparing Omegaven with a standard soybean oil lipidemulsion is underway. (31) Whether Omegaven will re-verse the brotic component of PNAC and provide long-term benet is not known. (32) At this time, Omegaven



is restricted to only compassionate use in the UnitedStates. Recently, a combination of soybean, medium-chain triglycerides, olive oil, and sh oil lipid emulsions(Fresenius) has been tested in infants who have PNAC.It has shown promising effects on decreasing bilirubinwithout causing essential fatty acid deciency; however,further investigation of the effects of this combinationin infants who have intestinal failure is needed. (30)(33)

Infants receiving PN should be started on enteral feed-ings as early as possible to stimulate bile ow, gallbladdercontraction, and intestinal motility. Even trophic feedshave been shown to be benecial in reducing the inci-dence and severity of PNAC. For patients who havePNAC who continue on PN, the manganese and copperin PN solutions should be reduced and plasma levelsmonitored because these metals can accumulate to toxiclevels in the cholestatic liver. Fat-soluble vitamin levelsshould be closely monitored and total PN solutions ad-justed accordingly. Ursodeoxycholic acid is theoreticallyof benet by stimulating bile ow; however, there is noevidence of its efcacy in PNAC. High-dose oral erythro-mycin resulted in lower serum direct bilirubin in onelarge trial in preterm infants receiving total PN. (34)

GalactosemiaGalactosemia is an autosomal recessive disorder that oc-curs in 1 in 50,000 live births. A deciency of the enzymegalactose-1-phosphate uridyl trans-ferase results in defective metabolismof galactose. Newborn screening forgalactosemia is performed in mostcountries, thus identifying the major-ity of infants before they becomesymptomatic. However, infants whohave galactosemia may present withfailure to thrive, vomiting, diarrhea,cataracts, Escherichia coli septicemia,jaundice and cholestasis, hepato-megaly, ascites, or hypoglycemia.Treatment of galactosemia involvesdietary avoidance of all foods thatcontain galactose and lactose.

Progressive FamilialIntrahepatic Cholestasis

PFIC is a group of at least three au-tosomal recessive hereditary disor-ders in which mutations in oneof the genes involved in canali-cular bile formation results in

progressive cholestasis of hepatocellular origin. In PFICtype 1 (FIC1 [an aminophospholipid ippase]; Bylerdisease) and PFIC type 2 (BSEP [the ATP-dependentbile acid transporter] deciency), patients typically havelow or normal GGT levels and low cholesterol levels anddevelop early cholestasis. Patients who have PFIC 1 mayalso have severe diarrhea, pancreatitis, and hearing loss.Severe pruritus develops before age 1 year. Many of thesepatients respond to partial biliary diversion or ileal exclusionsurgery. (35)(36) Unresponsive patients may require livertransplantation in the rst decade after birth. Patients whohave PFIC type 3 (MDR3 [canalicular phospholipid trans-porter] deciency) have cholestasis with elevated GGT andlow biliary phospholipids, bile duct inammation, and pro-liferation on liver biopsy, and they develop biliary cirrhosisrather quickly during childhood. Pruritus is less severe thanin the other forms of PFIC and is often responsive to ur-sodeoxycholic acid.

Treatment of Neonatal CholestasisIt is crucial to rapidly identify infants who have medicallytreatable forms of cholestasis as well as those causes ame-nable to surgical intervention (Table 2). The timing ofHPE in patients who have BA is critical. In a recentFrench study of 695 patients who have BA, survival withnative liver was best in children who underwent the HPEprocedure in the rst 30 days after birth. (2)

Table 2. Causes of Cholestasis That RequireSpecific Medical or Surgical Intervention

Cause of Cholestasis Intervention

Infection (bacterial or viral) Antibiotic or antiviral agentsGalactosemia Galactose-free dietTyrosinemia Low tyrosine/phenylalanine diet,

2-(2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylbenzol)-1,3-cyclohexanedione

Hereditary fructose intolerance Fructose- and sucrose-free dietHypothyroidism Thyroid hormone replacementCystic fibrosis Pancreatic enzymes, ursodeoxycholic acidHypopituitarism Thyroid, growth hormone,

cortisol replacementBile acid synthetic defect Ursodeoxycholic or cholic acid

supplementationBiliary atresia Hepatoportoenterostomy

(Kasai procedure)Choledochal cyst CholedochoenterostomySpontaneous perforation of

the common bile ductSurgical drainage

Inspissated bile in the commonbile duct

Biliary tract irrigation



Nutritional therapy is of utmost importance in chole-static infants. Growth failure is common secondary to im-paired absorption of fats, impaired metabolism of proteinsand carbohydrates, and increased metabolic demand. Re-duced delivery of bile acids to the small intestine leads todecreased mixed micelle formation and subsequent fat andfat-soluble vitamin malabsorption. Caloric intake shouldbe approximately 125% of the recommended dietary al-lowance based on ideal body weight. Adequate protein in-take of 2 to 3 g/kg per day should be delivered.Cholestatic infants should receive a formula containingmedium-chain triglycerides, such as Pregestimil (MeadJohnson & Company, Evansville, IN) or Alimentum

(Abbot Laboratories, Chicago, IL), because these trigly-cerides can be directly absorbed from the small intestinewithout requiring bile acids. Formulas can be concentratedor have additional carbohydrates or fats added to increaseenergy density. Oral feeding is the preferred route of for-mula intake; however, if patients are unable to ingest theneeded calories, nasogastric tube drip feedings should beinitiated, generally overnight. Fat-soluble vitamins shouldbe supplemented in all cholestatic infants, and blood levelsshould be routinely monitored to guide dosing. No singlemultiple vitamin preparation is adequate for all cholestaticinfants; most will need additional vitamins K and E, andmany will need vitamins D and A beyond a multiple vita-min preparation (Table 3). Vitamin supplementationshould be continued for at least 3 months after resolutionof jaundice and blood levels checked once an infant hasstopped taking the vitamins.

Screening and PreventionBA is the most common cause of neonatal cholestasis andprogresses to end-stage liver disease in up to 80% of

patients within the rst two decades after birth. Earlyidentication and HPE are essential to establish bile owand avoid liver transplantation within the rst 2 years. (2)A loss of stool pigmentation (acholic stools) may be oneof the earliest clinical indicators of BA and is not con-founded by breastfeeding, as is relying solely on the pres-ence of jaundice. Lai et al (37) found that 95% of infantswho have BA had acholic stool in early infancy. In Taiwan,a national stool color screening system was implementedin 2004 through which an infant stool color card wasplaced into the child health booklet given to the motherof every newborn. (38) Mothers were to notify a care pro-vider if the infant had an acholic stool before age 1 monthand brought the stool color card into the 1-month healthsupervision visit to show the provider the color of thestools. This program reduced the average age at diagnosisof BA, increased the national rate of the HPE operationperformed before age 60 days, increased the 3-monthjaundice-free rate after HPE, and increased the 5-yearoverall survival rate. This program is being initiated ina number of countries; however, its success is not assuredin the US health-care system in which there is no standard1-month infant health provider visit. Pilot testing of a stoolcolor card program would be of great interest and poten-tial public health benet.

In a recent study by Harpavat et al, (10) direct biliru-bin and conjugated bilirubin levels that were obtainedwithin the rst 72 hours after birth were retrospectivelyreviewed from 34 infants who had BA and a numberof controls. All direct or conjugated bilirubin levels inthe BA infants exceeded laboratory norms and weresignicantly higher than those of the control subjects(P < .0001). However, total bilirubin remained belowthe American Academy of Pediatrics recommended

Table 3. Fat-Soluble Vitamin Supplementation in the Cholestatic Infant

Vitamin Laboratory Sign of Deficiency Clinical Sign of Deficiency Treatment/Prevention

Vitamin A Retinol: retinol-bindingprotein

phototherapy levels, (39)(40) and the ratio of direct bil-irubin:total bilirubin was less than 0.2, the current levelat which the North American Society for Pediatric Gastro-enterology, Hepatology and Nutrition recommends fur-ther evaluation. (12) Additional studies will be neededto conrm these ndings; however, this study suggeststhat if all newborns were to be screened for elevated directbilirubin levels in the rst 96 hours after birth regardlessof clinical appearance, that it might be possible to identifythose who have BA and cholestasis at a young age, poten-tially improving the outcomes for BA and possibly otherconditions. Of course, a cost-effectiveness analysis wouldneed to be conducted to determine the rate of false-positive ndings and the costs of such a recommenda-tion for essentially universal screening of total and director conjugated bilirubin levels before a newborn isdischarged from the hospital. Currently, the AmericanAcademy of Pediatrics does recommend obtaining a totalserum bilirubin or transcutaneous bilirubin level in allnewborns before discharge from the hospital.

ConclusionsCholestatic jaundice, dened as conjugated hyperbiliru-binemia, must be considered in any infant presentingwith prolonged jaundice longer than 2 weeks (or with he-patomegaly, failure to thrive, acholic stools, or dark urinebefore or after age 2 weeks) because it can be the rstsign of liver disease. Early detection of cholestasis andsubsequent prompt diagnostic evaluation by a pediatric

hepatologist is essential to successful treatment and opti-mal prognosis. Delayed diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis(and particularly of BA) remains a problem. Further inves-tigation and development of evidence will be necessary todetermine if a reliable and cost-effective method of univer-sal screening for neonatal cholestasis should be imple-mented in the United States.

FUNDING: This research was supported in part by Na-tional Institutes of Health grants T32 DK067009,U01DK062453, and UL1TR000154.

References1. Kelly DA, Stanton A. Jaundice in babies: implications for commu-nity screening for biliary atresia. BMJ. 1995;310(6988):117211732. Serinet MO, Wildhaber BE, Brou P, et al. Impact of age at Kasaioperation on its results in late childhood and adolescence: a rationalbasis for biliary atresia screening. Pediatrics. 2009;123(5):128012863. Hussein M, Howard ER, Mieli-Vergani G, Mowat AP. Jaundiceat 14 days of age: exclude biliary atresia. Arch Dis Child. 1991;66(10):117711794. Mieli-Vergani G, Howard ER, Portman B, Mowat AP. Latereferral for biliary atresiamissed opportunities for effective sur-gery. Lancet. 1989;1(8635):4214235. Lee WS. Pre-admission consultation and late referral in infants withneonatal cholestasis. J Paediatr Child Health. 2008;44(12):57616. Balistreri WF. Neonatal cholestasis. J Pediatr. 1985;106(2):1711847. Suchy FJ. Neonatal cholestasis. Pediatr Rev. 2004;25(11):3883968. Balistreri WF, Bezerra JA. Whatever happened to neonatalhepatitis? Clin Liver Dis. 2006;10(1):2753, v9. Dick MC, Mowat AP. Hepatitis syndrome in infancyanepidemiological survey with 10 year follow up. Arch Dis Child.1985;60(6):51251610. Harpavat S, Finegold MJ, Karpen SJ. Patients with biliaryatresia have elevated direct/conjugated bilirubin levels shortly afterbirth. Pediatrics. 2011;128(6):e1428e143311. Davis AR, Rosenthal P, Escobar GJ, Newman TB. Interpretingconjugated bilirubin levels in newborns. J Pediatr. 2011;158(4):562.e1565.e112. Bamshad MJ et al. Exome sequencing as a tool for Mendeliandisease gene discovery. Genetics. 2011;12(11):74575513. Moyer V, Freese DK, Whitington PF, et al; North AmericanSociety for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.Guideline for the evaluation of cholestatic jaundice in infants:recommendations of the North American Society for PediatricGastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. J Pediatr Gastro-enterol Nutr. 2004;39(2):11512814. Nievelstein RA, Robben SG, Blickman JG. Hepatobiliary andpancreatic imaging in childrentechniques and an overview ofnon-neoplastic disease entities. Pediatr Radiol. 2011;41(1):557515. Gilmour SM, Hershkop M, Reifen R, Gilday D, Roberts EA.Outcome of hepatobiliary scanning in neonatal hepatitis syndrome.J Nucl Med. 1997;38(8):1279128216. Esmaili J, Izadyar S, Karegar I, Gholamrezanezhad A. Biliaryatresia in infants with prolonged cholestatic jaundice: diagnosticaccuracy of hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Abdom Imaging. 2007;32(2):243247

American Board of Pediatrics NeonatalPerinatalContent Specifications

Recognize the association of cholestasiswith total parenteral nutrition, know howto manage this, and understand how todiagnose other possible causes.

Know the clinical manifestations,diagnostic features, and treatment ofinfants who have choledochal cysts.

Know the pathogenesis and clinical manifestations ofextrahepatic biliary atresia.

Know the clinical, laboratory, and diagnostic features ofextrahepatic biliary atresia that differentiate it fromneonatal hepatitis and other causes of cholestasis in theneonate and know the approach to management ofextrahepatic biliary atresia.

Know the etiology, clinical manifestations, and differentialdiagnosis of metabolic and familial causes of cholestasis inthe neonate.

Know the laboratory and imaging features and management ofmetabolic and familial causes of cholestasis in the neonate.



17. Zerbini MC, Gallucci SD, Maezono R, et al. Liver biopsy inneonatal cholestasis: a review on statistical grounds. Mod Pathol.1997;10(8):79379918. Russo P, Magee JC, Boitnott J, et al. Design and validation ofthe biliary atresia research consortium histologic assessment systemfor cholestasis in infancy. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2011;9(4):357.e2362.e219. Schreiber RA, Barker CC, Roberts EA, et al. Biliary atresia: theCanadian experience. J Pediatr. 2007;151(6):659665, 665.e120. Nio M, Ohi R, Miyano T, Saeki M, Shiraki K, Tanaka K;Japanese Biliary Atresia Registry. Five- and 10-year survival ratesafter surgery for biliary atresia: a report from the Japanese BiliaryAtresia Registry. J Pediatr Surg. 2003;38(7):997100021. Lykavieris P, Chardot C, Sokhn M, Gauthier F, Valayer J,Bernard O. Outcome in adulthood of biliary atresia: a study of 63patients who survived for over 20 years with their native liver.Hepatology. 2005;41(2):36637122. Sveger T. Liver disease in alpha1-antitrypsin deciency de-tected by screening of 200,000 infants. N Engl J Med. 1976;294(24):1316132123. Emerick KM, Rand EB, Goldmuntz E, Krantz ID, Spinner NB,Piccoli DA. Features of Alagille syndrome in 92 patients: frequencyand relation to prognosis. Hepatology. 1999;29(3):82282924. Hoffenberg EJ, Narkewicz MR, Sondheimer JM, Smith DJ,Silverman A, Sokol RJ. Outcome of syndromic paucity of in-terlobular bile ducts (Alagille syndrome) with onset of cholestasis ininfancy. J Pediatr. 1995;127(2):22022425. Javid PJ, Malone FR, Dick AA, et al. A contemporary analysisof parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease in surgical infants.J Pediatr Surg. 2011;46(10):1913191726. Christensen RD, Henry E, Wiedmeier SE, Burnett J, LambertDK. Identifying patients, on the rst day of life, at high-risk ofdeveloping parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease. J Perinatol.2007;27(5):28429027. Hoang V, Sills J, Chandler M, Busalani E, Clifton-Koeppel R,Modanlou HD. Percutaneously inserted central catheter for totalparenteral nutrition in neonates: complications rates related to upperversus lower extremity insertion. Pediatrics. 2008;121(5):e1152e115928. Spencer AU, Neaga A, West B, et al. Pediatric short bowelsyndrome: redening predictors of success. Ann Surg. 2005;242(3):403409, discussion 40941229. Cober MP, Killu G, Brattain A, Welch KB, Kunisaki SM,Teitelbaum DH. Intravenous fat emulsions reduction for patients

with parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease. J Pediatr. 2012;160(3):42142730. Rangel SJ, Calkins CM, Cowles RA, et al; 2011 AmericanPediatric Surgical Association Outcomes and Clinical Trials Com-mittee. Parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis: an AmericanPediatric Surgical Association Outcomes and Clinical Trials Com-mittee systematic review. J Pediatr Surg. 2012;47(1):22524031. de Meijer VE, Gura KM, Le HD, Meisel JA, Puder M. Fish oil-based lipid emulsions prevent and reverse parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease: the Boston experience. JPEN J ParenterEnteral Nutr. 2009;33(5):54154732. Soden JS, Lovell MA, Brown K, et al. Failure of resolution ofportal brosis during omega-3 fatty acid lipid emulsion therapy intwo patients with irreversible intestinal failure. J Pediatr. 2010;156(2):32733133. Goulet O, Antbi H, Wolf C, et al. A new intravenous fatemulsion containing soybean oil, medium-chain triglycerides, oliveoil, and sh oil: a single-center, double-blind randomized study onefcacy and safety in pediatric patients receiving home parenteralnutrition. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2010;34(5):48549534. Ng PC, Lee CH, Wong SP, et al. High-dose oral erythromycindecreased the incidence of parenteral nutrition-associated cholesta-sis in preterm infants. Gastroenterology. 2007;132(5):1726173935. Kurbegov AC, Setchell KD, Haas JE, et al. Biliary diversion forprogressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis: improved liver morphol-ogy and bile acid prole. Gastroenterology. 2003;125(4):1227123436. Whitington PF, Whitington GL. Partial external diversion ofbile for the treatment of intractable pruritus associated withintrahepatic cholestasis. Gastroenterology. 1988;95(1):13013637. Lai MW, Chang MH, Hsu SC, et al. Differential diagnosis ofextrahepatic biliary atresia from neonatal hepatitis: a prospectivestudy. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1994;18(2):12112738. Lien TH, Chang MH, Wu JF, et al; Taiwan Infant Stool ColorCard Study Group. Effects of the infant stool color card screeningprogram on 5-year outcome of biliary atresia in Taiwan.Hepatology.2011;53(1):20220839. American Academy of Pediatrics Subcommittee on Hyperbilir-ubinemia. Management of hyperbilirubinemia in the newborn infant35 or more weeks of gestation. Pediatrics. 2004;114(1):29731640. US Preventive Services Task Force. Screening of infants forhyperbilirubinemia to prevent chronic bilirubin encephalopathy: USPreventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Pedi-atrics. 2009;124(4):11721177

NeoReviews QuizNew minimum performance level requirementsPer the 2010 revision of the American Medical Association (AMA) Physicians Recognition Award (PRA) and credit system, a minimum performancelevel must be established on enduring material and journal-based CME activities that are certified for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. In order tosuccessfully complete 2013 NeoReviews articles for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM, learners must demonstrate a minimum performance level of 60%or higher on this assessment, which measures achievement of the educational purpose and/or objectives of this activity.

In NeoReviews, AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM can be claimed only if 60% or more of the questions are answered correctly. If you score less than60% on the assessment, you will be given additional opportunities to answer questions until an overall 60% or greater score is achieved.

1. A previously well infant presents with jaundice at age 3 weeks. Results of a blood test reveal a direct bilirubinlevel of 4 mg/dL and a total bilirubin level of 8 mg/dL. Which of the following is most likely to be true?

A. Because the infant is just 3 weeks old, the first step can be to discontinue human milk and monitor thepatient closely for several days to see if the skin color improves.



B. Direct hyperbilirubinemia at this age may be due to infectious, metabolic, or anatomic abnormalities, anddepending on the clinical context, a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation should be performedexpeditiously.

C. In virtually all cases, surgery will be necessary. If the infant is growing well and developmentally normal,surgery should be delayed until 6 months to reduce the risks of anesthesia.

D. Metabolic conditions should be ruled out before diagnostic tests for anatomic conditions, because a well-appearing patient is unlikely to have biliary atresia.

E. The first step should be intensive phototherapy, after which further diagnostic tests can be performed.

2. A 2-month-old male infant born at term is diagnosed with biliary atresia. You are counseling the parents aboutthe condition. Which of the following is true regarding long-term prognosis for biliary atresia?

A. Although liver transplantation may be necessary forw50% of patients, it will most likely be in the third orfourth decade after birth.

B. If the child undergoes hepatic portoenterostomy at this age, he is unlikely to have any long-termcomplications.

C. More than 80% of patients who have biliary atresia have other congenital anomalies, which may have moreof an impact on survival and disability than liver disease.

D. The level of jaundice after hepatic portoenterostomy may help to guide the necessity and timing of futureliver transplantation.

E. Watchful waiting is an alternative to surgery because some patients may develop a tolerance forconjugated bilirubin.

3. An 8-week-old female presents with jaundice and acholic stools. On further evaluation, the patient is noted tohave peripheral pulmonic stenosis on echocardiogram and posterior embryotoxon on eye examination. Whichof the following tests is likely to have a positive result in this patient?

A. Abnormal sweat chloride test.B. Absence of spleen found on abdominal ultrasound.C. Abnormal protease inhibitor phenotype.D. Mutation in the JAGGED 1 gene.E. Normal g-glutamyl transpeptidase levels.

4. A 28-weeks-gestational-age male is now 3 weeks old. Due to necrotizing enterocolitis, his nutrition has primarilybeen by parenteral nutrition, which he continues to receive via a peripherally inserted central catheter line. Onroutine laboratory testing, he is noted to have conjugated hyperbilirubinemia with a direct bilirubin level of 3.4mg/dL. Which of the following is one of the facets of optimal nutrition therapy for this patient at this time?

A. Continue full parenteral nutrition and start phenobarbital intravenously daily, and monitor direct bilirubinlevel twice weekly.

B. Continue parenteral nutrition but do not give intravenous lipids until the direct bilirubin level decreases toless than 2 mg/dL.

C. Discontinue parenteral nutrition and give intravenous fluids with only dextrose, sodium chloride, andpotassium chloride until full enteral feeds are achieved.

D. Reduce manganese and copper in the parenteral nutrition solution and monitor levels.E. Switch to a soybean oil lipid emulsion.

5. The 28-weeks-gestational age male who has a history of necrotizing enterocolitis and parenteral nutritionassociated cholestasis is now 2 months old and receiving full enteral feedings but continues to have a directbilirubin level of 3.4 mg/dL. Which of the following is an appropriate aspect of his current nutrition regimen?

A. An infant formula with no lipids should be given every other day.B. Caloric intake should be increased to w110% of the typically recommended allowance.C. He will require additional vitamins A, D, E, and K to meet nutritional needs.D. If the infant receives vitamin supplementation, he should stop supplementationw1 week after jaundice is

resolved.E. Vitamins should be avoided until the direct bilirubin level is less than 2 mg/dL.




Amy G. Feldman and Ronald J. SokolNeonatal Cholestasis

ServicesUpdated Information &

http://neoreviews.aappublications.org/content/14/2/e63including high resolution figures, can be found at:

References

http://neoreviews.aappublications.org/content/14/2/e63#BIBLat: This article cites 40 articles, 12 of which you can access for free

Subspecialty Collections

orn_infanthttp://neoreviews.aappublications.org/cgi/collection/fetus_newbFetus and Newborn Infantfollowing collection(s): This article, along with others on similar topics, appears in the

Permissions & Licensing

/site/misc/Permissions.xhtmltables) or in its entirety can be found online at: Information about reproducing this article in parts (figures,

Reprints/site/misc/reprints.xhtmlInformation about ordering reprints can be found online:


Karen S. Fernndez and Pedro de AlarcnNeonatal Thrombocytopenia




Neonatal ThrombocytopeniaKaren S. Fernandez, MD,*

Pedro de Alarcon, MD

Author Disclosure

Drs Fernandez and de

Alarcon have disclosed

no financial

relationships relevant

to this article. This

commentary does

NeoReviews February2013 (1)

Documents

Transcript of NeoReviews February2013 (1)