Improved Outcome of Biliary Atresia with Postoperative High-Dose Steroid

Table 2

Outcome of children receiving low-dose steroid and high-dose steroid.

Outcome	Low-dose group	High-dose group	P value
Jaundice-free 3 months with native liver	38.7% (49/127)	53.4% (135/253)	<0.01
Jaundice-free 6 months with native liver	39.4% (50/127)	56.9% (144/253)	<0.01
Jaundice-free 12 months with native liver	43.3% (55/127)	58.1% (147/253)	<0.01
Incidence of cholangitis in 1 year	48.0% (61/127)	32.0% (81/253)	<0.01
Two-year survival with native liver rates	38.3% (44/115)	53.3% (131/246)	<0.01

Note: (1) Twelve children in the low-dose steroid group and 7 in the high-dose group were lost to follow-up after 12 months and were included in the analysis of the postoperative bilirubin level and incidence of cholangitis but not in the analysis of survival with native liver rates.
(2) Jaundice-free: direct bilirubin <20 µmol/L.