Eicosapentaenoic acid administration ameliorates the progression of liver fibrosis after laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Biliary atresia (BA) poses a persistent challenge characterized by ongoing liver inflammation and subsequent fibrosis even after the clearance of jaundice (COJ). This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in alleviating liver inflammation and limiting fibrosis during the post-COJ phase of BA. METHODS: Among the BA patients undergoing laparoscopic Kasai portoenterostomy (lapKP) between December 2016 and October 2021, EPA (20-40 mg/kg/day) was administered orally to those whose parents consented. The study included patients from January 2014 to October 2021, classifying them into two groups EPA-treated (Group E) and untreated (Group N). Their liver fibrosis and clinical course at 1 and 2 years post-lapKP were compared. RESULTS: Group E consisted of 25 patients, while Group N comprised 32 patients. Twenty-one patients in Group E and 25 patients in Group N achieved COJ (p = 0.74). Among jaundice-free patients at 1 and 2 years post-lapKP, Group E exhibited significantly lower M2BPGi levels and platelet counts, and Group E showed a significant reduction in Aminotransferase-to-Platelet Ratio Index (APRI) at 2 years post-lapKP. CONCLUSION: Although EPA administration did not improve COJ, it attenuated the progression of liver fibrosis during the 2 years following lapKP in jaundice-free patients. (200/200Words).