Differentiation of biliary atresia using a rapid point-of-care matrix metalloproteinase-7 assay: A multicenter diagnostic study

Hepatology Communications 2026 Open access

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Authors: Shuiqing Chi, Jinshi Huang, Pu Yu, Huizhong Niu, Zebing Zheng, Yi Zhou, Dayan Sun, C Cai, Junqing Hua, Pan Chen, M Zhang, Xi Zhang
+6 more Guoqing Cao, S Li, Liying Rong, Yan Chen, Paul Kwong‐Hang Tam, Shao‐tao Tang
DOI: 10.1097/hc9.0000000000000953
Cited by: 1
References: 39

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Delayed diagnosis and surgery are the main causes of poor prognosis in biliary atresia (BA). This delay is frequently attributed to the complexity of current outpatient evaluation methods. While serum MMP-7 analysis via currently available methods, such as ELISA, offers high diagnostic accuracy, its utility in outpatient settings is often limited by turnaround time. To address this challenge, we developed and evaluated the MMP-7 Quick Test for accurately differentiating BA. METHODS: This multicenter prospective diagnostic study was conducted between November 2021 and December 2024 at the pediatric surgery outpatient departments of 5 tertiary centers. A total of 423 patients aged

Fields of Study & Subjects

Pediatric Hepatobiliary Diseases and Treatments Gallbladder and Bile Duct Disorders Pancreatitis Pathology and Treatment

Publication details

Journal / source
Hepatology Communications
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Volume
10
Issue
5
Publication date
24 April 2026
Language
EN