Presentation and diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis in the 21st century

Clin Liver Dis. 2008 May;12(2):243-59; vii. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2008.02.014.

Abstract

Primary biliary cirrhosis is a slowly progressive, cholestatic, and chronic liver disease in which the epithelium of the intrahepatic biliary tree is destroyed by a chronic inflammatory process. The origin of this disease, which mainly affects middle-aged women, is unknown but has characteristics favoring an autoimmune etiology. This article reviews the presentation and diagnosis of PBC in the 21st century.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Fatigue / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / complications*
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / diagnosis*
  • Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / metabolism
  • Male
  • Osteoporosis / etiology
  • Pruritus / etiology
  • Sex Factors