Ocular findings in patients with cholestatic disorders of infancy: a single-centre experience

Background and study aims: Neonatal cholestasis can be associated with ocular findings that might aid in its diagnosis, e.g., Alagille syndrome [AGS] and Niemann Pick disease [NPD]. We aimed to investigate the frequency of ocular manifestations in infants with cholestasis

Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study included cholestatic infants presenting to the Paediatric Hepatology Unit, Cairo University Paediatric Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. All infants underwent examination of lid, ocular motility, anterior and posterior segments and measurement of intraocular pressure, cycloplegic refraction, ocular ultrasonography and vision

Results: The study included 112 infants with various cholestasis; 73 [65.2%] were males. The median age was 2 months. Diagnosis was reached in 39 cases: 14 had AGS, 14 had biliary atresia [BA], 4 had NPD, 4 had post-haemolytic cholestasis, 2 had cytomegalovirus neonatal hepatitis, and one case had hepatorenal tyrosinaemia. Thirteen cases were probably having progressive familiar intrahepatic cholestasis [PFIC] type 1 or 2 considering their persistent cholestasis in the presence of normal gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; 28 were left with a diagnosis of "idiopathic neonatal hepatitis" [INH], and 32 [28.6%] had no definite diagnosis. Ophthalmologic abnormalities were found in 39 cases [34.8%]. The commonest finding was unilateral/bilateral optic nerve drusen in 12 [10.7%], followed by posterior embryotoxon in 11 [9.8%]. Ocular findings were observed in 64.3% patients with AGS, 50% patients with NPD, 30.8% cases with suspected PFIC type 1or 2, 28.6% infants with INH, and 14.3% patients with BA

Conclusion: Ophthalmologic findings are not uncommon among cholestatic infants. Ophthalmologic examination should be routinely performed, including assessment of anterior segment, fundus examination, and ocular ultrasound

Glycogen storage disease type III in Egyptian children: a single centre clinico-laboratory study

Glycogen storage disease type III [GSD III] is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficiency of glycogen debrancher enzyme and is characterised by clinical variability. We herein describe the clinical and laboratory findings in 31 Egyptian patients with GSD III presenting to the Paediatric Hepatology Unit, Cairo University, Egypt. Eighteen patients [58%] were males. Their ages ranged between 6 months to 12 years. The main presenting complaint was progressive abdominal distention in 55%. Twelve patients [38.7%] had a history of recurrent attacks of convulsions; four had an erroneous diagnosis of hypocalcaemia and epilepsy. Dolllike facies was noted in 90%. Abdominal examination of all cases revealed abdominal distention and soft hepatomegaly which had bright echogenicity by ultrasound. Hypertriglyceridaemia was present in 93.6%, hyperlactacidaemia in 51.6% and hyperuricaemia in 19.4%. Liver biopsy showed markedly distended hepatocytes with well distinct cytoplasmic boundaries and 32% had macrovesicular fatty changes. Serum creatine kinase was elevated in 64.6% of patients and correlated positively and significantly with age [r = 0.7 and P = <0.001], while serum triglycerides correlated negatively with age [r = -0.4 and P = 0.05]. Blood glucose assessment and search for hepatomegaly in an infant with recurrent seizures may prevent delay in the diagnosis. A huge soft liver reaching the left midclavicular line that appears echogenic on ultrasonography is characteristic of GSD III. A distended hepatocyte with rarified cytoplasm is pathognomonic but not diagnostic. Hypertriglyceridaemia correlates negatively with age, in contrary to CK level