[Hypermethioninemia in the differential diagnosis of infantile obstructive jaundice (author's transl)].

In 7 infants suffering from obstructive jaundice we found transient high levels of methionine in serum. All cases had only intrahepatic cholestasis, especially with intrahepatic biliary hypoplasia, whereas other patients with extrahepatic biliary atresia and/or combination of extra- and intrahepatic obstructive jaundice always showed normal levels of methionine. Therefore hypermethioninemia seems to be helpful in differentiating the various causes of infantile obstructive jaundice.