is there an optimal therapeutic regimen for antimitochondrial antibody-negative primary biliary cirrhosis (autoimmune cholangitis)?
Testing for antimitochondrial antibodies is the most useful laboratory procedure in the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis; nevertheless, 5-10% of patients with typical features of primary biliary cirrhosis do not have detectable antimitochondrial antibodies, their condition being referred to as antimitochondrial antibody-negative primary biliary cirrhosis or “autoimmune cholangitis”. Uncertainty exists whether antimitochondrial antibody-positive and -negative primary biliary cirrhosis represent distinct entities. We reviewed studies that compared: (i) the clinical, laboratory and histological characteristics of antimitochondrial antibody-positive and -negative primary biliary cirrhosis; (ii) the response to treatment of both conditions; and (iii) the response of autoimmune cholangitis to ursodeoxycholic acid and immunosuppressive therapy. Antimitochondrial antibody-positive and -negative primary biliary cirrhosis were characterized by similar clinical, laboratory and histological
Related Questions
- is there an optimal therapeutic regimen for antimitochondrial antibody-negative primary biliary cirrhosis (autoimmune cholangitis)?
- Does the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis or autoimmune cholangitis depend on the phase of the disease?
- is autoimmune cholangitis an early stage of primary biliary cirrhosis?
