title: Visual stool examination--a screening test for infants with prolonged neonatal cholestasis.
abstract: Visual inspection of stools for the presence or absence of bile pigment was evaluated prospectively to determine its value in differentiating between biliary atresia and hepatitis. In a group of 23 infants with prolonged neonatal cholestasis the presence of stool pigment excluded extrahepatic biliary atresia, while its absence was suggestive of extrahepatic biliary atresia. This simple test was found to be more reliable than more sophisticated diagnostic techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Househam
mesh_terms: D001654:Bile Pigments / Q000032:analysis*; D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000032:analysis*; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn
chemical_list: D001654:Bile Pigments