Primary sclerosing cholangitis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a rare, chronic cholestatic liver disease characterised by biliary inflammation and fibrosis. Inflammatory bowel disease co-occurs in 50-80% of individuals with primary sclerosing cholangitis and there is an increased risk for hepatobiliary and colorectal cancers. Primary sclerosing cholangitis presentation is highly variable but there is usually a slowly progressive fibrosis of the bile ducts with strictures, development of liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, and eventually a need for liver transplantation, after which primary sclerosing cholangitis can reoccur. Primary sclerosing cholangitis is diagnosed mostly at the asymptomatic stage but, as the disease advances, people often have itching, fatigue, upper right abdominal pain, recurrent cholangitis, or complications related to portal hypertension. There are few treatment options and its exact cause and pathogenesis remain unclear. It is widely believed that both genetic and environmental factors are important, with the intestinal microbiome increasingly recognised as crucial to disease development, progression, and outcomes. This Seminar explores the clinical features of primary sclerosing cholangitis, summarises the current understanding of its pathogenesis, and gives insights into the challenges and opportunities in managing the disease.