Biliary atresia in infancy is most frequently associated with which of the following?

• A. Fat malabsorption
• B. Chylothorax
• C. Zinc deficiency
• D. Essential fatty acid deficiency

Answer: (A)

Biliary atresia causes cholestasis, meaning bile flow into the intestine is blocked. Bile acids are essential for emulsifying and digesting fats, so when they’re lacking, fats aren’t efficiently emulsified or absorbed. That leads to fat malabsorption, which is the most common nutritional issue in infancy with this condition, often presenting as steatorrhea and poor weight gain. While zinc deficiency or essential fatty acid deficiency can occur with prolonged malabsorption, and chylothorax is not a typical consequence of biliary disease, the direct and most frequent problem is fat malabsorption.