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Objectives:

Timely diagnosis is a critical challenge and is associated with improved survival of biliary atresia (BA) patients. We aimed to measure matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) levels in BA patients within 3 days of birth using the dried blood spot (DBS) method and evaluate its potential as a screening tool.

Methods:

The study enrolled 132 patients, including 25 patients diagnosed with BA and 107 non-BA patients with other congenital or perinatal conditions from the National Taiwan University Children Hospital. The stored DBS samples collected from 48 to 72 hours of life were retrieved from newborn screening centers. MMP-7 on the DBS was quantified using a sensitive sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results:

The MMP-7 levels of BA patients on the DBS were significantly higher than those of non-BA patients (19.2±10.4 vs 5.6±2.7 ng/mL, P value< 0.0001). MMP-7 levels in non-BA …