Ursodeoxycholic Acid Helpful in Biliary Cirrhosis

[Guest guest]

Ursodeoxycholic Acid Helpful in Biliary Cirrhosis

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Aug 14 - A meta-analysis of studies

involving more than a thousand subjects indicates that long-term

treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid is beneficial in patients with

primary biliary cirrhosis and may reduce the need for liver

transplantation, according to Chinese researchers.

In the July issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, Dr.

Wei-fen Xie and colleagues at Second Military Medical University,

Shanghai note that the treatment is known to improve liver function

but its effect on survival and other factors are unclear.

To investigate further, the researchers studied data from 7

randomized controlled trials. Six of these were placebo-controlled

and in the seventh the control group was untreated.

Although the active treatment had no effect on pruritus and fatigue,

there was a significant improvement in liver biochemistry and a delay

in disease progression, particularly in early-stage patients.

In addition, meta-analysis of the studies and their extended follow-

up showed a significant reduction in liver transplantation (odds

ratio, 0.65). For the combined end point of death or liver

transplantation, there was a marginally significant reduction.

Further analysis in trials selected for being large-scale, lasting 48

months or more or being placebo-controlled, showed that long-term

treatment did significantly reduce the incidence of liver

transplantation or death and liver transplantation.

Given these findings, the researchers conclude that " we should start

ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in... patients with primary biliary

cirrhosis as early as possible. "