Preface to the Third Edition

Summary

Liver Disease in Children has become the premier reference on pediatric liver disease. This third edition provides authoritative coverage of every aspect of liver disease affecting infants, children, and adolescents. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated. In addition, it features new contributions on liver development, cholestatic and autoimmune disorders, fatty liver disease, and inborn errors of metabolism. The book offers an integrated approach to the science and clinical practice of pediatric hepatology and charts the substantial progress in understanding and treating these diseases. Chapters are written by international experts and address the unique pathophysiology, manifestations, and management of these disorders in the pediatric population.

In the six years since the publication of the second edition of Liver Disease in Children, pediatric hepatology has continued to evolve as a discipline. Our knowledge of the structural and functional development of the liver continues to grow, aided by sophisticated approaches in molecular biology. For example, the genetic basis of inherited cholestatic disorders has been further elucidated, and the clinician is now provided with useful information about the natural history, spectrum, and options for therapy. Investigators can couple this information with emerging science in their own laboratories. Several canalicular membrane transport proteins were actually discovered based upon their role in inherited disorders of cholestasis. These advances have allowed detailed studies regarding the behavior of these transporters in acquired cholestasis.