Background: : Depletion of beta-carotene (b-c) has not been extensively studied in children with chronic cholestatic liver disease.
Patients and methods: : We assessed b-c serum concentration in 53 children with cholestatic liver disease: 19 patients operated on for biliary atresia, 12 with Alagille syndrome, and 22 with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis. To test b-c absorption, 6 children with chronic cholestasis received a load of 10 mg b-c/kg body weight.
Results: : We found decreased b-c concentrations in 45 patients. The absorption of b-c was not detectable in 5 of 6 children studied.
Conclusions: : b-c depletion is a common problem of chronic cholestatic liver disease in childhood that can be attributed to disturbed intestinal absorption.