Primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis: Introduction

Primary biliary cirrhosis: Primary biliary cirrhosis is a liver disease that slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver. Bile, a substance that helps digest fat, leaves the liver ... more about Primary biliary cirrhosis.

Primary biliary cirrhosis: Primary biliary cirrhosis is a chronic and progressive cholestatic disease of the liver. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Primary biliary cirrhosis is available below.

Symptoms of Primary biliary cirrhosis

• Itchy skin
• Fatigue
• Jaundice
• Yellow eyes
• Yellow skin
• more symptoms...»

See full list of 43 symptoms of Primary biliary cirrhosis

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Primary biliary cirrhosis:

• Liver Health & Hepatitis: Home Testing
  • Home Hepatitis Tests
  • Home Liver Tests
  • Sexually Transmitted Disease Tests
• more tests...»

Primary biliary cirrhosis: Complications

Review possible medical complications related to Primary biliary cirrhosis:

• Liver disease
• Liver failure
• Cirrhosis
• Osteoporosis
• Arthritis
• Thyroid problems
• more complications...»

Medical Textbooks Online about Primary biliary cirrhosis

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Primary biliary cirrhosis

• Blood tests
• X-rays
• Liver biopsy
• more tests...»

Read more about tests for Primary biliary cirrhosis

Wrongly Diagnosed with Primary biliary cirrhosis?

• Misdiagnosis of Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Failure to diagnose Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Hidden causes of Primary biliary cirrhosis (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Undiagnosed: Primary biliary cirrhosis

Misdiagnosis and Primary biliary cirrhosis

Chronic liver disease often undiagnosed: One study reported that 50% of patients with a chronic liver disease remain undiagnosed by their primary physician. The reasons are multifactorial. Possible conditions include chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver, hemochromatosis, or other types of liver condition. See introduction to liver disease or misdiagnosis of liver disease....read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis: Research Doctors & Specialists

Research related physicians and medical specialists:

• Liver Health Specialists (Hepatology):
  • Transplant Hepatology (Liver Transplant Specialist)
• more specialists...»

Other doctor, physician and specialist research services:

• Rate Your Doctor Online
• Research Your Doctor Online
• Review Patient Surveys About Your Doctor
• Research local specialists including ratings, affiliations, and sanctions.

Causes of Primary biliary cirrhosis

• Unknown etiology
• Genetic factors
• Autoimmune in nature
• more causes...»

Read more about causes of Primary biliary cirrhosis

More information about causes of Primary biliary cirrhosis:

• Underlying causes of Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Primary biliary cirrhosis as a complication caused by other conditions
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Primary biliary cirrhosis

Treatments for Primary biliary cirrhosis

• Vitamin supplements
• Calcium supplements
• Hormone therapy
• Symptomatic medicinations
• The goals of treatment are to slow the progression rate of the disease and to alleviate the symptoms (eg, pruritus, osteoporosis, sicca syndrome). Liver transplantation appears to be the only life-saving procedure
• more treatments...»

Read more about treatments for Primary biliary cirrhosis

News Archives for Primary biliary cirrhosis

Medical news articles related to Primary biliary cirrhosis include:

• Research Offers Promise for Cirrhosis Treatment
• Familial MS May Be More Destructive
• more health news...»

Source: HealthDay News

Evidence Based Medicine Research for Primary biliary cirrhosis

Medical research articles related to Primary biliary cirrhosis include:

• Ursodeoxycholic acid for primary biliary cirrhosis
• What is the significance of positive antinuclear antibody?
• What options are safe for a woman newly diagnosed with Primary Billiary Cirrhosis being treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and has improving liver function tests?
• Coeliac Disease
• For a 41 year old woman with primary biliary cirrhosis and some liver function tests outside their normal ranges, can the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system be used safely?
• Risk factor assessment for osteoporosis and/or increased fracture risk in men.
• Are there any indication for using colchicine in a child (15yrs old)?
• Is Campral ok to be used in a chronic alcoholic with abnormal LFTs (eg ALT of 350)?
• more research...»

Click here to find more evidence-based articles on the TRIP Database

Videos for Primary biliary cirrhosis

Patient Surveys for Primary biliary cirrhosis

• Patient Profile Survey
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• Survey about the symptoms of your Primary biliary cirrhosis
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Reseach about Primary biliary cirrhosis

Visit our research pages for current research about Primary biliary cirrhosis treatments.

Statistics for Primary biliary cirrhosis

• Medical statistics for Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Death and Mortality statistics for Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Society statistics for Primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis: Broader Related Topics

• Autoimmune diseases
• Liver conditions
• Chronic liver disease
• more types...»

Types of Primary biliary cirrhosis

Stories from Users Related to Primary biliary cirrhosis

• bill's battle with cirrhosis
• Failure to Diagnose/Cirrhosis
• Cirrhosis NASH I need some advise!
• Reclusive misanthrope bent on self-destruction
• Question on stages of Cirrhosis
• Possible Cirrhosis
• biliary cholanghitis
• Self Destruction
• PBC Diagnosis
• Cirrhosis Symptoms?
• primary biliary cirrhosis

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Primary biliary cirrhosis, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
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Article Excerpts about Primary biliary cirrhosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis is a liver disease that slowly destroys the bile ducts in the liver. Bile, a substance that helps digest fat, leaves the liver through these ducts. When the ducts are damaged, bile builds up in the liver and damages liver tissue. Over time, the disease can cause cirrhosis and may make the liver stop working. (Source: excerpt from Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: NIDDK)

Definitions of Primary biliary cirrhosis:

A form of biliary cirrhosis in which small intrahepatic ducts are destroyed while the major intra and extra hepatic ducts remain patent; most patients are middle aged females and have circulating antimitochondrial antibodies. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Primary biliary cirrhosis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Primary biliary cirrhosis, or a subtype of Primary biliary cirrhosis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Ophanet, a consortium of European partners, currently defines a condition rare when it affects 1 person per 2,000. They list Primary biliary cirrhosis as a "rare disease".
Source - Orphanet