title: Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitor Reduces Hepatic Stiffness in Pediatric Chronic Liver Disease Patients Following Kasai Portoenterostomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to define the role of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COX-2i) in reducing hepatic fibrosis in pediatric patients with chronic liver disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  From September 2009 to September 2010, patients over 2 years old who visited our outpatient clinic for follow-up to manage their chronic liver disease after Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia, were included in this study. Volunteers were assigned to the study or control groups, according to their preference. A COX-2i was given to only the study group after obtaining consent. The degree of hepatic fibrosis (liver stiffness score, LSS) was prospectively measured using FibroScan, and liver function was examined using serum analysis before and after treatment. After 1 year, changes in LSSs and liver function were compared between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-five patients (18 females and 7 males) were enrolled in the study group. The control group included 44 patients (26 females and 18 males). After 1 year, the least square mean values for the LSSs were significantly decreased by 3.91±0.98 kPa (p=0.004) only in the study group. Serum total bilirubin did not decrease significantly in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COX-2i treatment improved the LSS in patients with chronic liver disease after Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hye Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Severance Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Severance Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seonae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ryu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Severance Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. sjhan@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Seok Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D001656:Biliary Atresia / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D000077239:Meloxicam; D011171:Portoenterostomy, Hepatic; D013843:Thiazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D013843:Thiazines; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077239:Meloxicam
keywords: Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors; biliary atresia; cholestatic liver disease; hepatic fibrosis; liver stiffness score