Aim: To establish the efficacy of combination therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and colchicine in patients with symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), defined by the presence of liver cirrhosis, pruritus or bilirubin exceeding 2 mg/mL.
Methods: A total of 90 patients were randomly assigned to ursodeoxycholic acid 500 mg/daily plus placebo (UDCA group, n=44), or ursodeoxycholic acid at the same dosage plus colchicine, 1 mg/daily (UDCA/C group, n=46). The two groups were comparable for age, sex, stage of disease, severity of pruritus, bilirubin, and Mayo score. All patients underwent clinical, ultrasonographic, and biochemical examinations at entry and then every 6 months up to 3 years of follow-up. Patients with cirrhosis underwent endoscopy every 12 months. In a sub-group of patients without cirrhosis, who consented, liver biopsy was repeated at the end of the study.
Results: The number of treatment failures (i.e. dead, orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), complications of cirrhosis, doubling of bilirubin, untreatable pruritus) was 11 (25%) in the UDCA group and four (9%) in the UDCA/C group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in terms of improvement of liver enzymes related to cholestasis and cytolysis and of amelioration of pruritus. The Mayo score values increased less above the baseline values at 24 and 36 month-intervals in the UDCA/C group than in the UDCA group. Histological evaluation at baseline and at the end of the study was available for 15 patients with pre-cirrhotic stage. A significant reduction in histological grading score was observed in patients from the UDCA/C group, whereas no changes in these histological scores were observed in the UDCA group.
Conclusions: The addition of colchicine to ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with symptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis results in a small but significant reduction of disease progress.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00869.x | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography combined with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for the removal of large gallbladder stones: a pilot study.
BMC Gastroenterol
January 2025
Department of Gastroenterology, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Digestive Diseases, Jiangxi Clinical Research Center for Gastroenterology, Digestive Disease Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, No.17 Yongwaizheng Street, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, China.
Background: Endoscopic gallbladder-preserving cholecystolithotomy (EGPC) has become an alternative option for treating cholecystolithiasis. However, developing a new method of EGPC in which the gallbladder wall is not damaged remains a challenge. This study introduced a new EGPC method called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) combined with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), which preserves the integrity of the gallbladder wall in the treatment of cholecystolithiasis complicated with choledocholithiasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBile acid synthesis impedes tumor-specific T cell responses during liver cancer.
Science
January 2025
NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA.
The metabolic landscape of cancer greatly influences antitumor immunity, yet it remains unclear how organ-specific metabolites in the tumor microenvironment influence immunosurveillance. We found that accumulation of primary conjugated and secondary bile acids (BAs) are metabolic features of human hepatocellular carcinoma and experimental liver cancer models. Inhibiting conjugated BA synthesis in hepatocytes through deletion of the BA-conjugating enzyme bile acid-CoA:amino acid -acyltransferase (BAAT) enhanced tumor-specific T cell responses, reduced tumor growth, and sensitized tumors to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) immunotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe impact of deep response to ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis - should it be the new clinical standard?
Curr Opin Gastroenterol
January 2025
Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Purpose Of Review: This review explores the emerging concept of "deep response" in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), defined by the normalization of biochemical markers, particularly alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. It examines its potential as a new standard for disease management and its implications for long-term patient outcomes, health policies, and clinical decision-making.
Recent Findings: Recent studies suggest that achieving a deep response significantly improves long-term outcomes in some patients with PBC.
Current approach to diagnosis and management of low-phospholipid associated cholelithiasis syndrome.
Curr Opin Gastroenterol
January 2025
Reference Center for Inflammatory Biliary Diseases and Autoimmune Hepatitis, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN Rare-Liver), Saint-Antoine Hospital, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris; Sorbonne University, INSERM, Saint-Antoine Research Center (CRSA).
Purpose Of Review: Low phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis (LPAC) syndrome is a rare genetic form of intrahepatic cholesterol lithiasis, affecting mainly young adults. This review describes the recent advances in genetic and clinical characterization, diagnosis and management of LPAC syndrome.
Recent Findings: Recent publications report data from several retrospective cohorts.
Exploration of the Mechanism of Tanre Qing Injection in Treating Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome through Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Animal Experiments.
Comb Chem High Throughput Screen
January 2025
Department of Pharmacy, Taicang TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, China.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the active components and potential mechanism of Tanre Qing Injection (TRQI) in the treatment of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) using network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments.
Methods: The targets of active ingredients were identified using the TCMSP and Swiss Target Prediction databases. The targets associated with ARDS were obtained from the GeneCards database, Mala card database, and Open Targets Platform.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!