title: Treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis: therapy with choleretic and immunosuppressive agents.
abstract: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease of presumed autoimmune etiology affecting predominantly middle-aged women; it is a slowly progressive disease causing loss of intrahepatic bile ducts, resulting in advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver failure. Many drugs have been studied for treatment, including agents with choleretic and immunosuppressive properties. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has been evaluated most widely. After liver failure, the only effective treatment is liver transplantation. Effective therapy reduces the need for transplantation and improves life expectancy. For advanced liver disease or incomplete response to UDCA, new therapies to cure or retard the progression of disease in PBC are needed.
authors.affiliation: Miles and Shirley Fiterman Center for Digestive Diseases, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Marina G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Keith D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Lindor
mesh_terms: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid