title: Three paediatric cases of primary sclerosing cholangitis treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and sulphasalazine.
abstract: We present here three paediatric patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. In case 1, the serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was decreased only temporarily by ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment and 34 months later, sulphasalazine was added because of microscopic colitis. The enzyme level decreased with dual therapy. Similarly, in case 3, first diagnosed as autoimmune hepatitis, the transpeptidase levels remained elevated for 18 months during treatment with UDCA, prednisolone and mizoribin. The enzyme decreased only after a diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis complicated with ulcerative colitis was established and sulphasalazine was introduced. Case 2 also had Crohn's colitis and was put on UDCA and sulphasalazine from the start. The enzyme level was normalized within 1 month and has remained normal for the following 5 years. Liver biopsies were analysed repeatedly in these three patients. In case 1, periductal fibrosis remained unchanged while being treated by UDCA. There appeared to be no progression in liver cirrhosis in case 3 while being treated by UDCA, prednisolone, and mizoribin. In case 2, who has been treated with both UDCA and sulphasalazine from the start, periductal fibrosis and portal fibrosis were remarkably improved 45 months later. We suggest that sulphasalazine in addition to UDCA might be a viable treatment for children with primary sclerosing cholangitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan. kozaiwa@ped.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kozaiwa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tajiri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Etani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D012460:Sulfasalazine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D012460:Sulfasalazine; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid