[Neonatal cholestasis : clinical and diagnostic setting].

A retrospective study of 112 infants admitted at Pediatric Clinic of Catania from 1970 to 1985 with diagnosis of "Cholestatic jaundice" shows two prevalent pathologies: neonatal hepatitis and biliary atresia. Some other disease like cystic fibrosis. Hereditary fructose intolerance, Galactosaemia, Paucity of bile duct were found rarely. Some laboratory parameters (Serum direct bilirubin, Alkaline Phosphatase, Alkaline Phosphatase/Transaminase (GOT) show a characteristic pattern. Therefore the analysis of these data could help us to make a probability diagnosis and anticipate the liver biopsy that remain the most sensitive diagnostic instrument. In fact it is known that the earlier diagnosis is very important for the prognosis of these infants.