To assess the diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of the serum matrix metallopeptidase-7 (MMP-7) level for biliary atresia in infants with cholestasis after hepatoportoenterostomy.
The median serum MMP-7 levels were 38.89 ng/mL (interquartile range: 22.96-56.46) for the BA group and 4.4 ng/mL (interquartile range: 2.73-6.56) for the non-BA group (<i>P</i> < .001).
Conclusion: Serum MMP-7 assay has high sensitivity and specificity to differentiate BA from other neonatal cholestasis, and may be a reliable biomarker for BA.
In a discovery cohort of 70 subjects, the lead biomarker was matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7), which retained high distinguishing features for biliary atresia in two validation cohorts.