Abstract
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is cleared from the circulation specifically by hepatic endothelial cells. To assess whether measurement of serum HA may give information about hepatic function not provided by conventional liver function tests, we have measured serum HA in 48 infants who presented with cholestatic liver disease in the first 6 months of life (25 extra-hepatic biliary atresia [EHBA], 13 alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency [α1-ATD], 10 idiopathic hepatitis of infancy [IHI] and 51 age-matched healthy infants.)
Serum HA was raised above the ULN (100μg/l) at presentation in 80% of infants with EHBA (351.7 ± 225.5), 79% with α1-ATD (155.0 ± 67.6) and 80% with IHI (152.2 ± 48.1). There was no correlation between serum HA and AST, total bilirubin, gammaglutamyl transferase or albumin. At one year follow-up, 19 patients still had raised HA and, of these, 95% (18/19) had clinical and/or histological evidence of cirrhosis. Of the 29 patients who had normal HA at 1 year, none had cirrhosis, although 21 had abnormal AST or GGT.
While serum HA is raised in cholestatic Infants at presentation, it remains high only in those who develop cirrhosis. The lack of correlation between serum HA and conventional tests of liver function suggests HA may be a new measure of hepatic function, possibly related to endothelial cell function.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Trivedi, P., Portmann, B. & Mowat, A. 86 SERUM HYALURONIC ACID (HA) – A NEW TEST OF LIVER FUNCTION?. Pediatr Res 24, 419 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198809000-00109
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198809000-00109