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Aim Biliary atresia (BA) has preponderance in Asian populations with Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) regarded as the first-line standard of care. Yet reports from Southeast Asia remain scant. This study reviews the demographics, short- and medium-term outcomes for our cohort, and evaluates prognostic factors for outcome. Methods All patients diagnosed with BA between January 1997 and December 2013 were included. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. Jaundice clearance was defined as total bilirubin

AIM To describe the etiology and characteristics of early-onset conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (ECHB) presenting within 14 d of life in term neonates. METHODS Retrospective review was performed of term infants up to 28-d-old who presented with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia (CHB) at a tertiary center over a 5-year period from January 2010 to December 2014. CHB is defined as conjugated bilirubin (CB) fraction greater than 15% of total bilirubin and CB greater or equal to 25 μmol/L. ECHB is defined as CHB detected within 14 d of life. "Late-onset" CHB (LCHB) is detected at 15-28 d of life and served as the comparison group. RESULTS Total of 117 patients were recruited: 65 had ECHB, 52 had LCHB. Neonates with ECHB were more likely to be clinically unwell (80.0% vs 42.3%, P < 0.001) and associated with non-hepatic causes (73.8% vs 44.2%, P = 0.001) compared to LCHB. Multifactorial liver injury (75.0%) and sepsis (17.3%) were the most common causes of ECHB in clinically unwell infants, majority (87.5%) had resolution of CHB with no progression to chronic liver disease. Inborn errors of metabolism were rare (5.8%) but associated with high mortality (100%) in our series. In the subgroup of clinically well infants (n = 13) with ECHB, biliary atresia (BA) was the most common diagnosis (61.5%), all presented initially with normal stools and decline in total bilirubin but with persistent CHB. CONCLUSION Secondary hepatic injury is the most common reason for ECHB. BA presents with ECHB in well infants without classical symptoms of pale stools and deep jaundice.

We herein report the case of a 14-year-old girl with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infectious mononucleosis who developed prolonged hepatitis and jaundice. At presentation, she had tender hepatomegaly with a markedly deranged liver function test. Abdominal ultrasonography showed hepatomegaly and a thickened gallbladder wall. During the subsequent 11 weeks, her transaminases showed two further peaks, which corresponded with clinical deterioration. Her highest alanine transaminase level was 1,795 µ/L and total bilirubin level was 154 µmol/L. She recovered fully with conservative management. EBV-related liver involvement is typically mild and self-limiting. We believe that tender hepatomegaly and gallbladder thickening may be important predictors of significant liver involvement. Although multiple transaminase peaks may occur, we do not consider this an indication for antiviral or immunosuppressive therapy. In the absence of strong evidence supporting the use of any specific therapy, we recommend a conservative approach for an immunocompetent patient.

Biliary atresia (BA) has preponderance in Asian populations with Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) regarded as the first-line standard of care. Yet reports from Southeast Asia remain scant. This study reviews the demographics, short- and medium-term outcomes for our cohort, and evaluates prognostic factors for outcome.All patients diagnosed with BA between January 1997 and December 2013 were included. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. Jaundice clearance was defined as total bilirubin20 µmol/L within 6 months after KP. Two-year and 5-year native liver survival (NLS) were determined. Prognostic factors examined included gender, ethnicity, associated anomalies, age at KP, post-KP cholangitis and clearance of jaundice within 6 months.Of 58 patients studied, 31(53.4%) were male. Median age at time of KP was 53 days (range: 28-127). Ethnic distribution showed 32 (55.2%) Chinese, 16 (27.6%) Malays and 10 (17.2%) others. Twenty-one (36.2%) patients achieved jaundice clearance by 6 months. Two-year NLS rate was 36 out of 50 (72%), while 5-year NLS rate was 16 out of 35 (45.7%). Only clearance of jaundice within 6 months had a significant association with NLS (P = 0.006). All other factors showed no significant impact on outcome.Our short- and medium-term outcomes after KP for BA are comparable with those reported by most international centres. However, prognostic factors such as age at KP, cholangitis episodes and associated anomalies did not show significant correlation; only clearance of jaundice within 6 months was significantly predictive of NLS.

In paediatric Crohn's disease (PCD), 6-8 weeks of exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is effective in 60-80% cases. EEN is followed by gradual food reintroduction over variable (1-5 weeks) periods. Currently, there is no recommended duration or method for food reintroduction. The rationale for slow reintroduction is unclear and may be because of concerns about food intolerance or to maintain longer remission.The aims of this study were as follows: to compare relapse rates following standard and rapid reintroduction of food after EEN in PCD and to determine the duration of maintained remission in two groups of PCD patients.Two groups with PCD were compared: group A received standard food reintroduction over 5 weeks and group B received rapid reintroduction over 3 days. Data were collected over two consecutive time periods: group A (2005-2009) and group B (2009-2011). Only patients with a new diagnosis of PCD were included. Those with strictures and those on steroids or biologicals during EEN were excluded. The minimum duration of follow-up was 1 year.Group A included 20 patients and group B included 19 patients. In these groups, EEN led to clinical remission in 80% of the patients in group A and in 76% of the patients in group B. At 6 months, one-third of the patients from each group had developed relapse and a year after EEN, 50% of the patients in group A and 47% of the patients in group B developed relapse. Time to first relapse was 188 days (group A) and 136 days (group B). None of these results were statistically significant.In PCD, rapid food reintroduction following 6-week EEN is safe and equally effective as longer food reintroduction. We propose that a rapid food reintroduction schedule be recommended as the most tolerable approach for food reintroduction. Relapse rate and duration of remission are uninfluenced by the type of food reintroduction.

AIM: To evaluate the clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of cap polyposis in the pediatric population. METHODS: All pediatric patients with histologically proven diagnosis of cap polyposis were identified from our endoscopy and histology database over a 12 year period from 2000-2012 at our tertiary pediatric center, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Singapore. The case records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. The demographics, clinical course, laboratory results, endoscopic and histopathological features, treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. The study protocol was approved by the hospital institutional review board. The histological slides were reviewed by a pediatric histopathologist to confirm the diagnosis of cap polyposis. RESULTS: Eleven patients were diagnosed with cap polyposis. The median patient age was 13 years (range 5-17 years); the sample included 7 males and 4 females. All of the patients presented with bloody stools. Seven patients (63%) had constipation, while 4 patients (36%) had diarrhea. All of the patients underwent colonoscopy and polypectomies (excluding 1 patient who refused polypectomy). The macroscopic findings were of polypoid lesions covered by fibrinopurulent exudates with normal intervening mucosa. The rectum was the most common involvement site (n = 9, 82%), followed by the rectosigmoid colon (n = 3, 18%). Five (45%) patients had fewer than 5 polyps, and 6 patients (65%) had multiple polyps. Histological examination of these polyps showed surface ulcerations with a cap of fibrin inflammatory exudate. Four (80%) patients with fewer than 5 polyps had complete resolution of symptoms following the polypectomy. One patient who did not consent to the polypectomy had resolution of symptoms after being treated with sulphasalazine. All 6 patients with multiple polyps experienced recurrence of bloody stools on follow-up (mean = 28 mo). CONCLUSION: Cap polyposis is a rare and under-recognised cause of rectal bleeding in children. Our study has characterized the disease phenotype and treatment outcomes in a pediatric cohort.

We describe a rare case of non-antibiotic associated severe C. difficile diarrhea in a 7-week-old boy. He had massive fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance. He required total parentral nutrition for 10 days and eventually recovered with oral metronidazole. Most of the reported cases in literature are associated with prior antibiotic exposure or in hospitalized patients.