Prophylactic oral antibiotics in prevention of recurrent cholangitis after the Kasai portoenterostomy.

Author(s): Bu LN, Chen HL, Chang CJ, Ni YH, Hsu HY, Lai HS, Hsu WM, Chang MH

Affiliation(s): Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.

Publication date & source: 2003-04, J Pediatr Surg., 38(4):590-3.

Publication type: Clinical Trial; Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ) and neomycin as the prophylactic agents against the recurrence of cholangitis in children with biliary atresia (BA) after a Kasai portoenterostomy. METHODS: Nineteen BA patients aged 0 to 2 years, who had one episode of cholangitis after a Kasai portoenterostomy, were recruited in this study. Patients were assigned randomly into 2 groups: one (9 cases) with TMP/SMZ (TMP 4 mg/kg/d and SMZ 20 mg/kg/d, divided in 2 doses) and the other (10 cases) with neomycin (25 mg/kg/d, qid, 4 days a week). Another 18 BA patients aged 0 to 2 years, with cholangitis but not put on long-term prophylaxis, served as the historical control group. RESULTS: The mean prophylactic periods were 14.6 months and 14.7 months in the TMP/SMZ and neomycin groups. Patients who received prophylaxis with either TMP/SMZ or neomycin had lower recurrence rates of cholangitis than those in the control group (P =.042 and.011). There was no difference in the recurrence rates of cholangitis between the TMP/SMZ and neomycin groups (P =.641). The survival rates were higher in the TMP/SMZ and neomycin groups than in the control group (P =.09 and.018). CONCLUSIONS: Use of TMP/SMZ or neomycin is effective as a prophylactic agent against the recurrence of cholangitis after the Kasai portoenterostomy, but there is no difference in efficacy between these 2 regimens. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.