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Lee J, Park JS. The gut microbiome predicts response to UDCA/CDCA treatment in gallstone patients: comparison of responders and non-responders. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2534. [PMID: 38291113 PMCID: PMC10828362 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53173-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The treatment of gallbladder (GB) stones depends on condition severity. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) are commonly used to treat GB stones, but the factors affecting response rates have not been fully identified. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between response to UDCA/CDCA treatment and changes in the gut microbiomes of patients with GB stones with the intention of identifying gut microbiomes that predict susceptibility to UDCA/CDCA treatment and treatment response. In this preliminary, prospective study, 13 patients with GB stones were treated with UDCA/CDCA for 6 months. Patients were classified into responder and non-responder groups based on treatment outcomes. Gut microbiomes were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing. Taxonomic compositions and abundances of bacterial communities were analyzed before and after UDCA/CDCA treatment. Alpha and beta diversities were used to assess similarities between organismal compositions. In addition, PICRUSt2 analysis was conducted to identify gut microbial functional pathways. Thirteen patients completed the treatment; 8 (62%) were assigned to the responder group and the remainder to the non-responder group. Low abundances of the Erysipelotrichi lineage were significantly associated with favorable response to UDCA/CDCA treatment, whereas high abundances of Firmicutes phylum indicated no or poor response. Our results suggest that a low abundance of the Erysipelotrichi lineage is significantly associated with a favorable response to UDCA/CDCA and that a high abundance of Firmicutes phylum is indicative of no or poor response. These findings suggest that some gut microbiomes are susceptible to UDCA/CDCA treatment and could be used to predict treatment response in patients with GB stones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jungnam Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University Hospital, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Jin-Seok Park
- Department of Internal Medicine, Digestive Disease Center, Shihwa Medical Center, 381, Gunjacheon-ro, Siheung-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
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2
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Kimura N, Takahashi K, Setsu T, Goto S, Miida S, Takeda N, Kojima Y, Arao Y, Hayashi K, Sakai N, Watanabe Y, Abe H, Kamimura H, Sakamaki A, Yokoo T, Kamimura K, Tsuchiya A, Terai S. Machine learning prediction model for treatment responders in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. JGH Open 2023; 7:431-438. [PMID: 37359114 PMCID: PMC10290270 DOI: 10.1002/jgh3.12915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Background and Aim Treatment response to ursodeoxycholic acid may predict the prognosis of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Recent studies have suggested the benefits of using machine learning (ML) to forecast complex medical predictions. We aimed to predict treatment response in patients with PBC using ML and pretreatment data. Methods We conducted a single-center retrospective study and collected data from 194 patients with PBC who were followed up for at least 12 months after treatment initiation. Patient data were analyzed with five ML models, namely random forest, extreme gradient boosting (XGB), decision tree, naïve Bayes, or logistic regression, to predict treatment response using the Paris II criteria. The established models were assessed using an out-of-sample validation. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the efficacy of each algorithm. Overall survival and liver-related deaths were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results Compared to logistic regression (AUC = 0.595, P = 0.0219, 0.031 models), ML analyses showed significantly high AUC in the random forest (AUC = 0.84) and XGB (AUC = 0.83) models; however, the AUC was not significantly high for decision tree (AUC = 0.633) or naïve Bayes (AUC = 0.584) models. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly improved prognoses in patients predicted to achieve the Paris II criteria by XGB (log-rank = 0.005 and 0.007). Conclusion ML algorithms could improve treatment response prediction using pretreatment data, which could lead to better prognoses. In addition, the ML model using XGB could predict the prognosis of patients before treatment initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naruhiro Kimura
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Kazuya Takahashi
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Toru Setsu
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Shu Goto
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Suguru Miida
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Nobutaka Takeda
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Yuichi Kojima
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Yoshihisa Arao
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Kazunao Hayashi
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Norihiro Sakai
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Yusuke Watanabe
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Hiroyuki Abe
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Hiroteru Kamimura
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Akira Sakamaki
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Takeshi Yokoo
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Kenya Kamimura
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Atsunori Tsuchiya
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
| | - Shuji Terai
- Division of Gastroenterology and HepatologyNiigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental SciencesNiigataJapan
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Zhao DT, Yan HP, Liao HY, Liu YM, Han Y, Zhang HP, Zhang WM, Huang CY, Liu XH, Lou JL, Zhao Y. Using two-step cluster analysis to classify inpatients with primary biliary cholangitis based on autoantibodies: A real-world retrospective study of 537 patients in China. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1098076. [PMID: 36685575 PMCID: PMC9845730 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1098076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background A variety of autoantibodies have been detected in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), while the presence of autoantibody clusters and their clinical significance have not been fully understood. We aimed at defining autoantibody clusters and to better understand the clinical features and prognosis of PBC patients based on autoantibody clusters under real-world conditions. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 788 inpatients with PBC evaluated between October 2008 and July 2019, and included 537 patients. Nineteen autoantibodies which were measured routinely were investigated for cluster analysis. Two-step clustering, Kaplan-Meier survival, and Cox regression analyses were used. Results Five clusters were defined. A cluster of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-gp210 positive patients were identified with a high rate of cirrhosis at baseline and low survival rate; a cluster of ANA, anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) and/or anti-CENP-B female dominant patients with older disease onset, low level of platelet count at baseline, high rate of hepatic decompensation, and low survival rate was also characterized; and another cluster of anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) and/or AMA-M2, anti-Ro52 and a high rate of anti-gp210 positive patients were identified with a high proportion of male patients and low survival rate. A subgroup of patients with anti-SSA and/or anti-SSB coexists with SjS was also identified; patients with only AMA and/or AMA-M2-positive with a benign clinical outcome and relatively high complication of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were also identified. Only anti-gp210 was considered as a significant predictor for poor outcomes especially in patients with cirrhosis. Conclusion Clustering methods allow the identification of distinct autoantibody profiles of PBC that form clinical subsets and can be useful for personalized approaches to diagnosis, clinical management, and the prediction of clinical outcomes. Anti-gp210 was the strongest predictive factor for poor outcomes especially in PBC patients with cirrhosis under real-world conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Tong Zhao
- Clinical Laboratory Center and Clinical Research Center for Autoimmune Liver Disease, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Dan-Tong Zhao, ; ; Yan Zhao,
| | - Hui-Ping Yan
- Clinical Laboratory Center and Clinical Research Center for Autoimmune Liver Disease, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,Second Department of Liver Disease Center, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Yu Liao
- Second Department of Liver Disease Center, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan-Min Liu
- Second Department of Liver Disease Center, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Han
- Second Department of Liver Disease Center, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Hai-Ping Zhang
- Clinical Laboratory Center and Clinical Research Center for Autoimmune Liver Disease, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei-Ming Zhang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Chun-Yang Huang
- Second Department of Liver Disease Center, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiu-Hong Liu
- Clinical Laboratory Center and Clinical Research Center for Autoimmune Liver Disease, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Li Lou
- Clinical Laboratory Center and Clinical Research Center for Autoimmune Liver Disease, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhao
- Clinical Laboratory Center and Clinical Research Center for Autoimmune Liver Disease, Beijing You’An Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,Clinical Laboratory Center, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Dan-Tong Zhao, ; ; Yan Zhao,
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Huang LX, Wang ZL, Jin R, Chen HS, Feng B. Incomplete response to ursodeoxycholic acid in primary biliary cholangitis: criteria, epidemiology, and possible mechanisms. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 16:1065-1078. [PMID: 36469627 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2022.2153672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION As a common autoimmune disease with the characteristic of early complication, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) leads to an increasing number of mortalities among people with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) waiting for liver transplantation. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the only approved first-line medicine for PBC, and a good response to treatment could acquire an ideal prognosis. Patients with poor UDCA response usually have more adverse outcomes and worse survival, therefore, the management of this group become a major consideration. AREAS COVERED Due to the complexity of race and environment for PBC, different criteria for UDCA response exhibit various predictive performances. Factors affecting UDCA response conditions include gender, age, ethnicity, serum indicators, auto-antibodies, and autoimmune comorbidities, while no agreement has been reached. In this review, we mainly focus on cellular senescence, immune-mediated damage, and vitamin D deficiency as possible mechanisms for UDCA non-responders. EXPERT OPINION The pathogenesis of PBC has yet to be clarified. Immunology-related mechanisms and therapy targets ought to be the main effort made for further study. Irrespective of the response condition, UDCA is recommended for routine administration in all PBC patients without contraindication. Ongoing clinical trials of second-line and additional therapy exhibit promising prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Xiang Huang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Beijing, PR China
| | - Zi-Long Wang
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Beijing, PR China
| | - Rui Jin
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Beijing, PR China
| | - Hong-Song Chen
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Beijing, PR China
| | - Bo Feng
- Peking University People's Hospital, Peking University Hepatology Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Hepatitis C and Immunotherapy for Liver Diseases, Beijing, PR China
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Abenavoli L, Procopio AC, Cinaglia P, Zanza C, Grazie CD, Longhitano Y, Libicherova P, Luzza F. Clinical Patterns of Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Comparison Between Two European Case Series. Rev Recent Clin Trials 2022; 17:136-142. [PMID: 35718979 DOI: 10.2174/1574887117666220617095856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune cholestatic liver disease characterized by progressive destruction of the intrahepatic bile ducts, followed by fibrous substitution of the ducts and potential evolution in cirrhosis. The geographical disparity in the prevalence of PBC suggests a possible role of environmental factors in developing the disease. We analyzed two groups of patients with different geographical prevalence. METHODS This study concerned the analysis of 14 Caucasian patients in two groups: ten patients enrolled in the Digestive Diseases Unit, University of Catanzaro (Italy), and four patients enrolled in the Department of Hepatology, University Hospital Kràlovskè Vinohrady of Prague (Czech Republic). The statistical analysis was performed using the software IBM SPSS (v. 20, Windows). RESULTS The Italian group showed a statistically significant difference in the total bilirubin values at diagnosis and during the last control (0.74±0.267 vs. 0.56±0.246; p-value: 0.013). Moreover, the comparison between the two groups showed a statistically significant difference in the serum albumin values at the time of the last control (4.6±0.231 vs. 4.15±0.532; p-value: 0.048). CONCLUSION Our data indicate an effective difference in the onset and clinical presentation between our two groups. More epidemiologic, prospective, and multicenter research projects are warranted to advance PBC knowledge in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovico Abenavoli
- Department of Health Sciences, University, Magna Graecia, Catanzaro Italy
| | | | - Pietro Cinaglia
- Department of Health Sciences, University, Magna Graecia, Catanzaro Italy
| | - Christian Zanza
- Ospedale Alba-Bra Onlus, Department of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Michele and Pietro Ferrero Hospital, Verduno (CN), Italy
| | | | - Yaroslava Longhitano
- Ospedale Alba-Bra Onlus, Department of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Michele and Pietro Ferrero Hospital, Verduno (CN), Italy
| | - Pavla Libicherova
- Department of Hepatology, Third Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Královské Vinohrady, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Francesco Luzza
- Department of Health Sciences, University, Magna Graecia, Catanzaro Italy
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6
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Toniutto P. Special Issue "New Therapies of Liver Diseases". J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11071798. [PMID: 35407406 PMCID: PMC8999668 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11071798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Pierluigi Toniutto
- Hepatology and Liver Transplantation Unit, Academic Hospital, University of Udine, 33100 Udine, Italy
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7
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Evaluation of Inhibitory Antibodies against the Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Type 3 in Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. J Clin Med 2022; 11:jcm11030681. [PMID: 35160133 PMCID: PMC8836427 DOI: 10.3390/jcm11030681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) constitute rare chronic inflammatory biliary diseases which likely comprise genetic, environmental and autoimmune factors. Specific inhibitory (auto-) antibodies against the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor type 3 (mAChR3 auto-ab) may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic biliary inflammation by modulating mAChR3− mediated signaling. Aims: The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and relevance of inhibitory mAChR3 auto-ab (mAChR3inh+ auto-ab) in a large cohort of PBC patients from two independent tertiary centers in Berlin and Leipzig in comparison to a large PSC cohort. Baseline parameters and response rates to standard treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) were characterized with respect to the individual mAChR3 auto-ab status. Methods: In total, the study population comprised 437 PBC patients, 187 PSC patients and 80 healthy controls. Clinical and laboratory baseline characteristics were retrieved from medical records. The response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy after 12 months of treatment was available in 176 PBC and 45 PSC patients. Results: The prevalence of mAChR3inh+ auto-ab was significantly higher among PBC patients (11.2%, 49/437; p = 0.008 vs. healthy controls) and PSC patients (33.6%, 63/187; p < 0.0001 vs. healthy controls) compared to healthy controls (2.5%, 2/80), respectively. PBC patients with mAChR3inh+ auto-ab exhibited significantly higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin, which constitute established parameters for PBC risk stratification. Moreover, mAChR3inh+ PBC patients tended to show decreased response rates to UDCA therapy compared to PBC patients without mAChR3inh+ auto-ab (mAChR3− PBC). In contrast, PSC patients with mAChR3inh+ auto-ab showed no significant differences in laboratory findings compared to mAChR3 auto-ab negative (mAChR3−) PSC patients. Conclusion: MAChR3inh+ auto-ab might be involved in the pathogenesis and treatment response of chronic biliary inflammation in patients with PBC but not in patients with PSC.
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Abstract
Cholestatic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) share several key pathophysiological mechanisms which can be targeted by novel therapeutic concepts that are currently developed for both areas. Nuclear receptors (NRs) are ligand-activated transcriptional regulators of key metabolic processes including hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism, energy expenditure and bile acid (BA) homoeostasis, as well as inflammation, fibrosis and cellular proliferation. Dysregulation of these processes contributes to the pathogenesis and progression of cholestatic as well as fatty liver disease, placing NRs at the forefront of novel therapeutic approaches. This includes BA and fatty acid activated NRs such as farnesoid-X receptor (FXR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, respectively, for which high affinity therapeutic ligands targeting specific or multiple isoforms have been developed. Moreover, novel liver-specific ligands for thyroid hormone receptor beta 1 complete the spectrum of currently available NR-targeted drugs. Apart from FXR ligands, BA signalling can be targeted by mimetics of FXR-activated fibroblast growth factor 19, modulation of their enterohepatic circulation through uptake inhibitors in hepatocytes and enterocytes, as well as novel BA derivatives undergoing cholehepatic shunting (instead of enterohepatic circulation). Other therapeutic approaches more directly target inflammation and/or fibrosis as critical events of disease progression. Combination strategies synergistically targeting metabolic disturbances, inflammation and fibrosis may be ultimately necessary for successful treatment of these complex and multifactorial disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Trauner
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia Daniela Fuchs
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Yehezkel E, Israel I, Houri I, Leshno M, Shibolet O, Zigmond E. Real-World Management of Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis-A Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Medical Center in Israel. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10194551. [PMID: 34640567 PMCID: PMC8509713 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10194551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a rare autoimmune liver disease with variation in prevalence, phenotype and prognosis across different geographical regions. Little is known about PBC in Israel. Our aim was to characterize the demography, clinical presentation, treatment patterns and prognosis in a cohort of PBC patients followed in a referral center in central Israel. Methods: Clinical, demographic and laboratory data were collected from the medical records of PBC patients followed at Tel Aviv Medical Center in the years 2003–2020. Results: We have identified 189 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of PBC; 92.6% were female and the mean age at diagnosis was 54.7 years. Thirty-nine percent were diagnosed with another autoimmune disease and 5.9% were diagnosed with a PBC-AIH (autoimmune hepatitis) variant syndrome. Ninety-six percent were treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) at a mean dose of 13.3 mg/kg. A total of 28.1% were found with inadequate response to UDCA according to the Toronto criteria, and 53% of the UDCA non-responders were treated with bezafibrate. Younger age at diagnosis, higher baseline levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), AIH-PBC variant and positive anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA) were associated with an inadequate UDCA response. In a multivariable analysis, higher ALP at diagnosis (OR = 1.92 CI 1.11–3.20 per 50-unit change, p = 0.018) and ASMA (OR = 27.6 CI 2.58–295, p = 0.006) independently predicted inadequate UDCA response. Higher alanine transaminase (ALT), ALP and GGT, lower albumin, younger age at diagnosis and pruritus conferred an increased risk for disease progression. Conclusions: Disease characteristics, treatment patterns, response to therapy and prognosis of a PBC patient cohort in a tertiary center in central Israel were revealed. The results highlight the importance of risk stratification in PBC, specifically in younger patients, those presenting with a high level of liver enzymes and in ASMA-positive patients with an assumed diagnosis of the AIH-PBC variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyal Yehezkel
- Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Gastroenterology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; (E.Y.); (I.H.); (M.L.); (O.S.)
| | - Inbal Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
| | - Inbal Houri
- Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Gastroenterology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; (E.Y.); (I.H.); (M.L.); (O.S.)
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
| | - Moshe Leshno
- Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Gastroenterology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; (E.Y.); (I.H.); (M.L.); (O.S.)
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
| | - Oren Shibolet
- Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Gastroenterology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; (E.Y.); (I.H.); (M.L.); (O.S.)
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
| | - Ehud Zigmond
- Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Gastroenterology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv 6423906, Israel; (E.Y.); (I.H.); (M.L.); (O.S.)
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel;
- Correspondence:
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