Bone marrow mononuclear stem cell infusion improves biochemical parameters and scintigraphy in infants with biliary atresia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate early postoperative results in a case controlled study following clinical use of stem cells in extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA).


METHODS
From July 2005 to March 2008, 30 cases of suspected EHBA were divided in two groups in an intervention study. Group A received autologous mononuclear bone marrow stem cells at the time of Kasai or after Kasai. In Group B, only Kasai was performed. Liver function tests on postoperative day 7 were compared. Serum bilirubin, clinical status, hepatic scintigraphy and survival at 6 months and 1 year were compared.


RESULTS
Mean age was 136 (74-275) days in Group A and 99.7 (56-172) days in Group B. Preoperative values of serum bilirubin (SB), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were comparable between the groups though there was significant difference in postoperative SB, AST and ALP (p = 0.014, 0.0041, 0.0005), with and without the use of stem cells. The median post stem cell SB was 6.9 (0.5-11.6) mg/dl in Group A versus 10.1 (5.6-26.3) mg/dl in Group B. Median SB at 6 months follow-up was 0.6 (0.5-5.4) mg/dl in Group A versus 7.6 (0.8-9.2) mg/dl in Group B (p = 0.028). There was a significant difference in episodes of cholangitis at 6 months postoperatively between the two groups (p = 0.024). Hepatic scans done at <3 months; >3 months follow-up showed prompt excretion in 80% (4/5); 85.7% (6/7) in Group A versus 20% (1/5); 50% (1/2) in Group B. Survival at 6; 12 months' follow-up was 45.5%; 27.3% in Group A versus 33.3%; 6.7% in Group B. Median postoperative survival was 181 (139,223) days in Group A versus 123 (65,181) days in Group B.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant biochemical and scintigraphic improvement was noted following stem cell therapy in biliary atresia, probably attributable to anti-inflammatory action of stem cells.
Sharma
Shilpa
S
Department of Pediatric Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
Kumar
Lalit
L
Mohanty
Sujata
S
Kumar
Rakesh
R
Datta Gupta
S
S
Gupta
Devendra K
DK
D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000097:blood / Q000601:surgery*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001663:Bilirubin