Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) often doesn't cause any symptoms in the early stages and many people are onlydiagnosed with the condition during tests carried out for another reason.
People who do have symptoms may experience:
Some people may also have symptoms of conditions that often occur alongside PBC, such as an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) .
Read about the causes of PBC for more information about related conditions.
For unknown reasons, there is oftenlittle association between the severity of symptoms and the degree of underlying liver damage. Some people with PBC have severe symptoms even though tests showthat their liver is not severely damaged, while tests may reveal that others with no or mild symptoms may have significant liver damage.
Medication can usually helpto delay liver damage in people with PBC, but ifthe liver does become extensively damaged ( cirrhosis ), you may have additional symptoms.
These can include:
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Primary biliary cirrhosis (primary biliary cholangitis) is a long-term liver disease in which the bile ducts in the liver become damaged.
Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) often doesn't cause any symptoms in the early stages.
The exact cause of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is unknown, although it is widely thought to be the result of a problem with the immune system.
In many cases, a suspected diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is made after having a blood test for another, unrelated condition.
The aim of treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is to prevent liver damage as much as possible and reduce your symptoms.
If primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is not treated or reaches an advanced stage, it can cause other potentially serious problems.