A review article on biliary atresia (BA) by Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) Vice President and Chair Professor Paul Kwong Hang Tam was recently published in Nature Reviews Disease Primers, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and specialised care to improve the quality of life and survival rates of children affected, according to an MUST statement.
Tam’s article in the medical journal, which the private university’s statement said offers “easy-to-understand summaries of important diseases”, also stresses the need for further research for a cure.
A serious liver disease in newborns, BA affects their bile ducts, “leading to obstructive jaundice and ultimately liver fibrosis and cirrhosis”, the statement noted. Its exact cause is unknown, the statement added, but ongoing research points to “a combination of perinatal injury and inappropriate response”, according to the statement.
The term “perinatal” refers to the time of birth.
The disease affects around one in 5,000 to 20,000 babies, with higher rates in Asia, the statement noted. It is primarily treated through surgery, though many children eventually need liver transplants.
Prof. Tam was quoted by the statement as saying: “By understanding more about the mechanisms underlying this devastating disease, we can develop new and better ways to treat it and help these children live healthier lives”.
Tam also highlighted the collective effort in the review, noting: “Our aim is to make M.U.S.T. a leading centre for medical research, especially in understanding and fighting against challenging paediatric diseases like BA”.
This undated handout photo recently provided by the Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) shows Vice President and Chair Professor Paul Kwong Hang Tam engaged in scientific research.
