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Value of gallbladder length-to-width ratio for diagnosis of biliary atresia by correlation with age

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Abstract

The objective is to explore the correlation between ultrasonic gallbladder length–width ratio (LTWR) and age, and the value of differential diagnosis between biliary atresia (BA) and other hepatic cholestasis. From January 2016 to June 2022, the data of 183 patients with jaundice who underwent abdominal ultrasound and surgical exploration in the Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. The demographic data, liver function, and ultrasonic parameters were recorded and analyzed. There were statistically significant differences between BA group and non-BA group in maximum length, maximum width and LTWR of gallbladder (P < 0.001). In all age groups (I: ≤ 30 days; II: 31–60 days; III: 61–90 days; IV: 91–120 days; V: ≥ 121 days), in which group III (61–90 days) had the highest area under the curve (AUC) of 0.843, and group V (≥121 days) had the lowest AUC of 0.548. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of gallbladder LTWR > 3.26 for BA in group II (31–60 days) were 78.9%, 75.0%, 75.0%, 78.9% and 76.9%, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy of gallbladder LTWR > 3.69 for BA in group III (61–90 days) were 76.6%, 84.6%, 92.5%, 59.5% and 78.9%, respectively. Ultrasonography LTWR of gallbladder has certain value in the diagnosis of BA. The diagnostic value of gallbladder LTWR in infants with different ages was quite different, and it was relatively high in infants with 31–90 days.

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Data availability

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article. Data are, however, available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request and with permission of the interviewees.

Abbreviations

ALT:

Alanine aminotransferase

AST:

Aspartate aminotransferase

AUC:

Area under the curve

BA:

Biliary atresia

DBIL:

Direct bilirubin

ERCP:

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography

GGT:

Gamma-glutamyl transferase

IQR:

Interquartile range

IOC:

Intraoperative cholangiography

LTWR:

Length-to-width ratio

SD:

Standard deviation

TBIL:

Total bilirubin

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Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Technology Planning Project of Zunyi city, Guizhou Province of China (no. [2019] 104).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, 563000, China

    Kaizhi Zhang, Zebing Zheng, Chengyan Tang, Daiwei Zhu, Qing Du, Yuanmei Liu & Zhu Jin

  2. Department of Pediatric Surgery, Guizhou Children Hospital, Zunyi, 563000, China

    Kaizhi Zhang, Zebing Zheng, Chengyan Tang, Daiwei Zhu, Qing Du, Yuanmei Liu & Zhu Jin

  3. Clinical Medical College, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610081, China

    Yan Tang

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  1. Kaizhi Zhang
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  2. Yan Tang
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  4. Chengyan Tang
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  6. Qing Du
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Contributions

Contributions: (I) conception and design: ZKZ, TY, and JZ; (II) administrative support: JZ; (III) provision of study materials or patients: all the authors; (IV) collection and assembly of data: all the authors; (V) data analysis and interpretation: all the authors; (VI) manuscript writing: ZKZ, JZ; (VII) final approval of manuscript: all the authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhu Jin.

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No financial or non-financial benefits have been received or will be received from any party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.

Research involving human participants and/or animals

The Affiliated Hospital of Zunyi Medical University approved the study protocol.

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Informed consent was waived.

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Patients and/or the public were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting or dissemination plans of this research.

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Zhang, K., Tang, Y., Zheng, Z. et al. Value of gallbladder length-to-width ratio for diagnosis of biliary atresia by correlation with age. Updates Surg 75, 915–920 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13304-022-01427-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13304-022-01427-x

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