[Clinical features of primary biliary cirrhosis and treatment of it by integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical features of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and its treatment by integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine.


METHODS
16 PBC patients were observed. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was used in the dose of 13 to 15 mg.kg(-1).d(-1), with some traditional Chinese herb prescription. Results (1) The proportion of women to men was 15:1, the mean age was 52.5 years. AMA-M2 was positive in 14 subjects (87.5%). Biliary tract enzymes and ESR were elevated in all subjects. The ratio of hypercholesterolemia (CHOL) and abnormality in IgM was high (62.5%). Fatigue, pruritus, arthralgia, jaundice, splenomegaly were noted in more than half cases. Every patient had one to four complications. (2) ALP, GGT and Glb declined evidently after 3 months' treatment by western medicine associated with traditional Chinese medicine, and declined markedly after 12 months' treatment (P<0.05 respectively). TBIL and CHOL declined gradually during the treatment course. Symptoms and signs were lightened.


CONCLUSIONS
PBC has complicated and especial clinical features. UDCA therapy is effective in PBC, while traditional Chinese medicine has extraordinary effect in treating the symptoms and signs.
Jiang
Jian
J
Department of Internal Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200021, China. jiangjian426@sohu.com
He
Miao
M
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000139:chemically induced; D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005221:Fatigue / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007565:Jaundice / Q000139:chemically induced; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase; D000410:Alanine Transaminase