Primary biliary cirrhosis: current diagnosis and treatment

Primary biliary cirrhosis is a progressive noninflammatory destruction of the interlobular bile ducts within the liver, leading to cholestasis and eventual cirrhosis. Ninety percent of affected patients are women. Most patients are initially without symptoms or have mild symptoms such as fatigue or pruritus. A minority of patients have the classical triad of jaundice, pruritus, and xanthelasmas. Almost all patients will have positive anti-mitochondrial antibody test results and an elevation of the serum alkaline phosphatase level. Primary biliary cirrhosis is thought to be an autoimmune disorder with additional liver injury being mediated by the subsequent cholestasis and accumulation of toxic bile acids. New treatment modalities include colchicine, ursodeoxycholic acid, and methotrexate. All patients, including those with only minor symptoms, have increased mortality compared with age-matched controls, thereby emphasizing the need for early diagnosis.