21st April 2024

Primary biliary cholangitis

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune disease which damages the biliary epithelial cells, causing cholestatic liver injury, and can eventually lead to liver cirrhosis. For PBC, remember the “Rule of Ms” – middle aged females, raised IgM, and anti-mitochondrial antibody positive (M2 subtype is highly specific) in the majority of patients. It affects females to males at a 9:1 ratio.