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Journal of Gastroenterology
Published in: Journal of Gastroenterology 3/2020

Open Access 01-03-2020 | Fibrates | Review

Emerging therapies for PBC

Authors: David Maxwell Hunter Chascsa, Keith Douglas Lindor

Published in: Journal of Gastroenterology | Issue 3/2020

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Abstract

Primary biliary cholangitis is an uncommon cholestatic liver disease predominantly affecting middle-aged women. Left untreated, there is a high risk of progression to end-stage liver disease. Few treatment options exist. To date, ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and obeticholic acid (OCA) are the only medical therapies approved for use, other than symptomatic treatments and liver transplantation, the latter of which is reserved for those developing complications of cirrhosis or with intractable pruritus. UDCA improves outcomes, but many patients do not adequately respond. OCA therapy may improve response, but long-term data are limited. New therapies are desperately needed, but evaluation has been limited by the fact that the disease is heterogeneous, hard end points take years to develop, and there are different criteria in use for determining therapeutic response based on surrogate biomarkers. Fibrates appear to be the most promising new therapy and have beneficially affected surrogate end points and are beginning to show improvement in clinical end points.
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Metadata
Title
Emerging therapies for PBC
Authors
David Maxwell Hunter Chascsa
Keith Douglas Lindor
Publication date
01-03-2020
Publisher
Springer Singapore
Published in
Journal of Gastroenterology / Issue 3/2020
Print ISSN: 0944-1174
Electronic ISSN: 1435-5922
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-020-01664-0

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