PRIMARY BILIARY CIRRHOSIS (PBC)

PRIMARY BILIARY CIRRHOSIS (PBC)

Primary biliary cirrhosis is the slow destruction of the bile ducts in the liver. The fluid made in the liver is called bile, which helps the body get rid of cholesterol and aids in digestion by draining red blood cells and toxins. Bile can back up in your liver and sometimes lead to irreversible scarring of liver tissue if these are damaged.

If considered as an autoimmune disease, it is called primary biliary cholangitis. Experts think that genetic and environmental factors generate this disease. It has a slow process. If treatment is early, liver damage may be prevented.

SYMPTOMS

It is likely that half of people with primary biliary cholangitis do not have any signs that are noticeable when diagnosed. The diagnosis is often made when blood tests are done. Symptoms may even develop after 20 years. Typically, you may have a poor outcome if you have symptoms at diagnosis.

Common early symptoms of Primary Biliary Cirrhosis include:

  • Fatigue
  • Itchy skin
  • Dry eyes and mouth

Later signs and symptoms may include:

  • Pain in the upper right abdomen
  • Swelling of the spleen
  • Bone, muscle or joint pain
  • Swollen feet and ankles
  • A buildup of fluid in the abdomen due to liver failure
  • Fatty deposits (xanthomas) on the skin around the eyes, eyelids or in the creases of the palms, soles, elbows or knees
  • Yellowing of the skin and eyes
  • Darkening of the skin that’s not related to sun exposure
  • Weak and brittle bones (osteoporosis), which can lead to fractures
  • High cholesterol
  • Diarrhea, which may include greasy stools
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
  • Weight loss

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis is done by the doctor after he or she asks about your health history and after doing a physical exam.

Diagnosing primary biliary cholangitis may be done through:

  • Blood tests
  • Cholesterol tests
  • Liver tests
  • Antibody tests for autoimmune disease
  • Imaging tests
  • Ultrasound
  • Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)
  • Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
  • Liver biopsy

 

TREATMENT

Medications are available for cholangitis to lessen the progression of liver disease and for prevention, as it has no cure. These medicines include:

  • Ursodeoxycholic acid
  • Obeticholic acid
  • Fibrates

Treating the symptoms

Your doctor may recommend treatments to control the signs and symptoms of primary biliary cholangitis and to make you feel more comfortable.

Related Articles

TETRALOGY OF FALLOT

Overview and FactsTypes and SymptomsDiagnosis & MedicationsOverview and Facts Tetralogy of Fallot is a congenital heart defect that affects the [...]

TRICHINOSIS

Overview and FactsTypes and SymptomsDiagnosis & MedicationsOverview and Facts Trichinosis, also known as trichinellosis, is a parasitic infection caused by [...]

TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Overview and FactsTypes and SymptomsDiagnosis & MedicationsOverview and Facts Trigeminal neuralgia is a neurological condition characterized by severe facial pain. [...]