JAMA : the journal of the American Medical Association
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Treating biliary atresia in newborns earlier can delay or prevent the need for liver transplant; however, treatment typically occurs later because biliary atresia is difficult to detect during its early stages. ⋯ Newborn screening with direct or conjugated bilirubin measurements detected all known infants with biliary atresia in the study population, although the 95% CI around the sensitivity estimate was wide and the study design did not ensure complete ascertainment of false-negative results. Research is needed in larger populations to obtain more precise estimates of diagnostic yield and to better understand the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of this screening approach.