title: Non-invasive assessment of liver fibrosis in patients after the Fontan operation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study analyzed the change in liver fibrosis markers after the Fontan operation and investigated their clinical usefulness as an index of congestive liver fibrosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 24 patients who underwent the Fontan operation between January 1994 and December 2008. We subdivided the postoperative period into four intervals and then compared the hepatological markers during each. Eighteen patients underwent postoperative cardiac catheterization and the correlation between hepatological markers and the inferior vena cava (IVC) pressure was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 138.6 months and the mean interval between the Fontan operation and the examination was 97.8 months. Type IV collagen was extremely high in every interval (I, 286 ± 93; II, 265 ± 93; III, 305 ± 143; IV, 206 ± 70), while none of the laboratory variables changed significantly in each interval. A significant positive correlation was observed between type IV collagen and the IVC pressure, but no significant correlation with any other hepatological marker was detected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No specific parameter that reflects the progress in liver fibrosis was identified in this study. The possibility exists that type IV collagen reflects the degree of hepatic congestion.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. furukawa.tks@gmail.com
authors: Takeshi
authors: T
authors: Furukawa
authors: Katsumi
authors: K
authors: Akimoto
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Ohtsuki
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Sato
authors: Mitsuyoshi
authors: M
authors: Suzuki
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Takahashi
authors: Masahiko
authors: M
authors: Kishiro
authors: Toshiaki
authors: T
authors: Shimizu
authors: Shiori
authors: S
authors: Kawasaki
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018729:Fontan Procedure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers