[Treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis with ursodeoxycholic acid]

This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Three patients with PBC (stage II) have been treated with UDCA (Ursofalk and Falk Pharma, Freiburg, Germany)--of 10 mg/kg daily dosage in the course of three years. Patients with well-defined PBC underwent complete history, physical examination, liver chemistries, ultrasonography and liver biopsy. Liver chemistries were determined every three months. A control liver biopsy was performed to one of the patient, an year after the beginning of the treatment. UDCA was well tolerated and showed no side effects. The most obvious benefit of UDCA was its favourable effect on serum biochemistries. Its use was associated with the delayed progression of the disease.