Background: Although Kasai operation eliminates jaundice in patients with biliary atresia, inflammation at Glisson's area persists and fibrosis advances slowly to liver cirrhosis. Profiles of polyunsaturated fatty acids, on which metabolic products have an immunoregulative effect, were investigated in this study.
Methods: Blood samples were obtained from patients including 21 jaundice-free patients with biliary atresia after Kasai operation (native liver group) and 18 patients in whom Kasai operation failed and liver transplantation was performed (transplantation group). All of these patients are without any complications for more than 6 months. Blood samples from 18 patients with inguinal hernia were assigned as normal controls (control group). Profiles of fatty acids in whole serum lipids were measured using gas chromatography. The n-3/n-6 ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids was compared among the three groups.
Results: The n-3/n-6 ratio was 0.114 in the native liver group, which was significantly lower than 0.145 in the transplantation group (P = 0.009) and 0.158 in the control group (P = 0.004). There was no significant difference between the transplantation and control groups (P = 0.83).
Results: The n-3/n-6 ratio was abnormal after Kasai operation despite normal liver function. This seems to be one factor of persisting inflammation in Glisson's area.