Pediatric Hepatology
Diagnostic approach to neonatal and infantile cholestasis: A position paper by SIGENP
Giusy Ranucci1, Emanuele Nicastro2, Claudia Della Corte3
1Dipartimento di Pediatria Sistematica e Specialistica, Ospedale Pediatrico Santobono Pausilipon, Napoli, Italia 2Unità di Epatologia, Gastroenterologia e Trapianti, Ospedale Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italia 3Unità di Epatologia, Gastroenterologia, Nutrizione e Trapianti di Fegato, IRCSS Ospedale Bambino Gesù, Roma, Italia
Hyperbilirubinemia occurs in around 50% of newborns although not always clinically evident, as an expression of physiological jaundice in the vast majority of cases. Prolonged jaundice, for longer than 2 weeks, observed in up to 15% of all infants, must evoke the suspicion of a cholestasis promoting further investigations. Neonatal and infantile cholestasis (NIC) can represent the onset of a surgically correctable disease and of a genetic or metabolic disorder worthy of medical treatment. Timely recognition of NIC and identification of the underlying etiology are paramount to improve outcomes. SIGENP cholestasis working group has proposed a position document that defines the best-evidence diagnostic approach to cholestasis in the first year of life