title: Primary biliary cirrhosis: therapeutic advances.
abstract: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic and slowly progressive cholestatic liver disease characterized by destruction of the interlobular bile ducts, which, if untreated, leads to fibrosis, biliary cirrhosis, and liver failure. Because liver transplantation remains the only curative option for PBC, the goals of treatment are to slow the rate of progression, to alleviate related symptoms, and to prevent complications. Ursodeoxycholic acid is the only US Food and Drug Administration-approved medical treatment of PBC. Several agents are undergoing evaluation as monotherapy or as an adjuvant to ursodeoxycholic acid. This review summarizes current therapeutic advances in the care of patients with PBC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Room 600D, Central Building, 1611 NW 12th Avenue, Miami, FL 33101, USA.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Czul
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Peyton
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid