Vitamin D Metabolism in Pre-Operative Extrahepatic Biliary Atresia

ABSTRACT. In order to clarify the pathogenesis of rickets in preoperative patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia, we evaluated baseline serum 25-OHD and 1,25(OH)₂D levels and correlated serum 25-OHD levels with increase in age and season of birth in 16 preoperative patients. Further, parenteral vitamin D₂ tolerance tests were performed in 5 cases. Serum 25-OHD and 1,25(OH)₂D levels were significantly lower than those in 15 normal controls. There was a negative correlation between the serum 25-OHD levels and increase in age. The patients born during the winter had lower serum 25-OHD concentrations than those born in summer. The mean value of increased 25-OHD levels after the parenteral vitamin D₂ tolerance tests did not differ from that of 6 controls. Since there was no impairment of vitamin D 25-hydroxylation, the reduction in serum 25-OHD may therefore be mainly due to disturbed intestinal vitamin D absorption. It was also concluded that season of birth and increase in age are pathogenic factors in the etiology of rickets in preoperative patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia.