Anyone know anything about raised liver enzymes in newborn? Freaking out a bit.

[Highlove]

My EBF 4 week old has been under the prolonged jaundice clinic. Her bilirubin levels are finally much improved but repeat tests have shown raised liver enzymes which remain high (I think not spectacularly so but I don't actually have the figures) and are very slightly increasing. We've been called back for more bloods, an abdominal scan and appointment with the liver consultant next week. But Ive had no explanation and I'm going a bit mad. The Dr who called me just evaded my questions about what it might be, other than a possible bug or infection. (Though she's had a clear urine sample.)

DD is otherwise seemingly well - weight gain hasn't been great but she was back at birth weight before 3 weeks and at last check last week was a few ounces over. She's not due to be weighed again till next week. She has periods of being alert, wakes for feeds and seems to feed ok, has just smiled, plenty of wet and dirty nappies. I'd not be concerned about her other than this.

Can anyone help with what this might mean. The Dr was really unhelpful.

Hopeful bump. Anyone?

One final slightly desperate bump..

Sorry, I can't really help with the newborn bit but one of mine did have raised transaminases (raised alt and ast) when he was about 18 months, and then another episode when I think he was around 3 or 4.

My son has other recognised medical issues but they didn't know what was causing this. He was monitored (ultrasound on liver) and regular blood tests and the next step would have been liver biopsy but thankfully we never got that far.

They slowly went down and I suppose we'll never know what was going on. My son's consultant consulted experts in other parts of the country - I think they genuinely didn't know! BTW they were in the high hundreds, like 900+. I think the normal range is ? - 35 .

I think there have been historic threads on here about raised enzymes in newborns - have you searched? I even think there was a zombie thread where the OP came back and her baby was a healthy 6 year old. Hold on, I'll see if I can find it ...

It's this one www.mumsnet.com/Talk/childrens_health/800035-Blood-tests-show-elevated-AST-liver-enzyme-in-baby-DS

Not a newborn but a younger baby than my DS!

My DS had the same as a newborn. He was monitored for 6 months and then discharged. The reference levels they use aren't for newborns so can be skewed. He also showed no other signs of being ill apart from prolonged jaundice. He didn't need any interventions and it just slowly reduced until his blood tests were normal.

Hi I know this thread has not been posted on for a while so a bit of a long shot. I’m going through this now with my little one. Prolonged jaundice with raised liver enzymes. We have also been referred to a liver specialist but any updates/reassurance on how your little ones got on would be greatly appreciated. Xxx

@RG22 we're going through this right now too! How are thing with your little one now?

Hi @ArcticNinja we got referred to a liver specialist given HIDA scans to rule out something called billary aterisa,Ultrasounds and lots and lots of blood tests. Baby has been given medicine and we go to the hospital for weekly blood tests to look at her levels. Plus they said lots of blood tests take a while to come back so it’s just a waiting game really but baby is well in herself feeding well and her jaindice is going just a bit yellow in her eyes. How’s your baby ? Do they have prolonged jaundice? X

@RG22 thanks so much for responding! He did have prolonged jaundice, which is what picked it up! He's 16 weeks now and bilirubin is right down but AST AND ALT still raised. We've just had an ultrasound and more tests today. Everything so far is normal other than ast and alt. Need to wait to see what these latest blood results come back with. The not knowing is killing me. How old is your baby? X

@ArcticNinja sorry I missed this. My baby is 15 weeks now. She has had ultrasounds hida scans and so many blood tests her levels are still high but coming down get GGT is the highest. We. Have medicine and a heart scan booked?! Not sure what this is for but it seems we are a wait and see approach. How’s your little one getting on ?

@ArcticNinja the not knowing is the hardest!! I understand completely Everytime the phone rings and it’s the hospital I get that feeling of dread. They had us in hospital at first but now that we are home and only having outpatient appointments every so often I suppose that’s a positive! I just hope our babies outgrow whatever it is and their levels go down maybe they just need extra time to get to their normal xx

Hi - sorry to jump on the thread but we have same situation and wondered how your babies are doing? We are 16 weeks, prolonged jaundice, normal bilirubin but elevated alt / ast. Waiting for liver specialist appointment to come through. Baby has no symptoms, putting on weight and devseloping well - thanks! Hope your little ones are progressing nicely xxx

Hi my baby was the same except she was yellow and billirubin was really high along with elevated alt/ast and ggt. We got referred to a liver specialist given medicine and had all sorts of tests and scans etc. my daughter is 6 months now billirubin is now normal alt/ast ggt slightly raised they seem to be going with a watch and wait approach as baby is thriving and the liver specialist did say to us last time some babies just have crazy levels and outgrown it but we need to make sure nothing underlying is going on first. we are at the specialist this month but as an outpatient this time just for a check up and blood test I’m assuming , see what they say.

Did your baby have high billirubin at the start ? Did they have any medicine For liver or light therapy? Or make you stay over in hospital for observations? It can be very worrying at the start of this I was constantly googling. But I’m so glad to hear your baby is thriving.xx

Thanks so much for the insight @RG22! So pleased to hear your little one is improving from a raised levels perspective from the watch & wait approach. What investigations / scans did you need to have to help rule issues out? Where you an inpatient for that bit?

my little one had high bilirubin less than 24 hours after birth, we went back into hospital for 3 nights for light treatment. She looked slightly yellow until about 10 weeks old so we were referred for prolonged jaundice. Bloods have progressively shown improvement in bilirubin but alt / ast have stayed around 100 not worsening but not improving either. I’m hoping it just needs more time - I’m not very patient!

thanks so much for the reply x

Hi @Katicus2327 . My little one had raised ALT/AST for a few months, like your baby, it stayed around the 90s for a while. I think my post is still above. They did lots of investigations and everything came back normal except for CMV which is a common viral thing he caught. The levels just came back down to normal one day and that was that! No explanation. They think he probably caught a bug that raised the levels and it just took a long time for then to come down. I've read lots of similar stories so please try not to worry! Easier said than done, I know!

@ArcticNinja lovely to hear your little one is all better now and that it just seemed to spontaneously solve itself. I had been very rational and hoped that would be the case but became a bit disappointed when the bloods still the same last week. Reassuring to hear your story! It really is just an awful limbo and I’m such a wuss- I hate seeing her sad from having bloods all the time! Thanks so much for sharing x