Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with biliary atresia

Objective To assess long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in school-aged children with biliary atresia. Study design All Dutch children (6-12 years of age) diagnosed with biliary atresia were invited to participate in this study. We used validated neurodevelopmental tests to assess motor skills and cognition, and questionnaires to assess behavior. Scores were compared with the Dutch norm population, by means of 1-sample tests. Results are given as number and percentage or mean +/- SD. Results We included 46 children, with a median age of 11 years (range, 6-13 years); 36 children had undergone a liver transplantation (78%). Twelve children (26%) received special education (vs 2.4% in the norm population; P < .01). Motor outcomes were significantly affected compared with the norm population (P < .01), with 25% normal (vs 85%), 25% borderline (vs 10%), and 50% low scores (vs 5%). Total IQ was lower in patients with biliary atresia, compared with the norm population (91 +/- 18 vs 100 +/- 15; P < .01). There were no significant differences in test scores between children with native liver and after liver transplantation. Conclusions School-aged children with biliary atresia show neurodevelopmental impairments compared with the norm population, especially in motor skills. Our data strongly warrant evaluation of neurodevelopmental intervention programs to assess whether long-term outcomes could be improved.