Guest guest Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 Hi this is my first post... I just need a little information, My 16 year old son was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 2 years ago; at the time he also had elevated LFT's. Upon further investigations (MRI, liver biopsy etc) he was also diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. His Ulcerative colitis is pretty stable now, but even though he is taking large doses of ursodeoxycholic acid for his liver his LFT's are starting to climb again…. He is also has mild neutropenia. Do you have any ideas of why this is?? Concerned Mum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 Dear " Concerned Mum " ; Welcome to the group. I'm sorry to hear about your son's UC/PSC diagnosis, but glad that you found this group. Hopefully we can answer some of your questions. It's possible that your son's mild neutropenia could be related to an enlarged spleen: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec14/ch174/ch174b.html An enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) is often associated with PSC. It's possible that the increased LFT's could be associated with the development of a dominant bile duct stricture? According to Adolf Stiehl, ursodiol treatment does not seem to prevent the development of dominant strictures (stenoses), and so he recommends using endoscopic methods (dilitation) to open these up: ___________________ Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2005 Apr;28(2):159-65. Endoscopic treatment of dominant stenoses in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. Stiehl A, Rost D. Department of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. adolf_stiehl@... Primary sclerosing cholangitis is characterized by progressive fibrosing inflammation of the bile ducts, leading to their obliteration, which results in cholestasis and, finally, cirrhosis of the liver. Over time, the majority of patients with advanced disease develop dominant stenoses of major bile ducts. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment does not prevent the development of such stenoses. Endoscopic measures allow the opening of short- and long-segment stenoses of the common bile duct and also of short segment stenoses of the hepatic ducts. In patients treated by early endoscopic dilatation of dominant stenoses, as well as with UDCA, survival may be significantly improved (compared with the predicted survival). PMID: 15879621 ___________________ So this might be something you could talk to your son's doctors about ... could the elevated LFT's be a sign of a dominant stricture developing? Best regards, Dave (father of (21); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03) [i just returned from Bethesda, MD, after dropping off there for his summer internship at NIH]. > but even though he is taking large doses of ursodeoxycholic acid for his liver his LFT's are starting to climb again…. He is also has mild neutropenia. Do you have any ideas of why this is?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 Dear " Concerned Mum " ; Welcome to the group. I'm sorry to hear about your son's UC/PSC diagnosis, but glad that you found this group. Hopefully we can answer some of your questions. It's possible that your son's mild neutropenia could be related to an enlarged spleen: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec14/ch174/ch174b.html An enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) is often associated with PSC. It's possible that the increased LFT's could be associated with the development of a dominant bile duct stricture? According to Adolf Stiehl, ursodiol treatment does not seem to prevent the development of dominant strictures (stenoses), and so he recommends using endoscopic methods (dilitation) to open these up: ___________________ Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2005 Apr;28(2):159-65. Endoscopic treatment of dominant stenoses in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. Stiehl A, Rost D. Department of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. adolf_stiehl@... Primary sclerosing cholangitis is characterized by progressive fibrosing inflammation of the bile ducts, leading to their obliteration, which results in cholestasis and, finally, cirrhosis of the liver. Over time, the majority of patients with advanced disease develop dominant stenoses of major bile ducts. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment does not prevent the development of such stenoses. Endoscopic measures allow the opening of short- and long-segment stenoses of the common bile duct and also of short segment stenoses of the hepatic ducts. In patients treated by early endoscopic dilatation of dominant stenoses, as well as with UDCA, survival may be significantly improved (compared with the predicted survival). PMID: 15879621 ___________________ So this might be something you could talk to your son's doctors about ... could the elevated LFT's be a sign of a dominant stricture developing? Best regards, Dave (father of (21); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03) [i just returned from Bethesda, MD, after dropping off there for his summer internship at NIH]. > but even though he is taking large doses of ursodeoxycholic acid for his liver his LFT's are starting to climb again…. He is also has mild neutropenia. Do you have any ideas of why this is?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 6, 2006 Report Share Posted June 6, 2006 Dear " Concerned Mum " ; Welcome to the group. I'm sorry to hear about your son's UC/PSC diagnosis, but glad that you found this group. Hopefully we can answer some of your questions. It's possible that your son's mild neutropenia could be related to an enlarged spleen: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec14/ch174/ch174b.html An enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) is often associated with PSC. It's possible that the increased LFT's could be associated with the development of a dominant bile duct stricture? According to Adolf Stiehl, ursodiol treatment does not seem to prevent the development of dominant strictures (stenoses), and so he recommends using endoscopic methods (dilitation) to open these up: ___________________ Clin Rev Allergy Immunol. 2005 Apr;28(2):159-65. Endoscopic treatment of dominant stenoses in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. Stiehl A, Rost D. Department of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. adolf_stiehl@... Primary sclerosing cholangitis is characterized by progressive fibrosing inflammation of the bile ducts, leading to their obliteration, which results in cholestasis and, finally, cirrhosis of the liver. Over time, the majority of patients with advanced disease develop dominant stenoses of major bile ducts. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment does not prevent the development of such stenoses. Endoscopic measures allow the opening of short- and long-segment stenoses of the common bile duct and also of short segment stenoses of the hepatic ducts. In patients treated by early endoscopic dilatation of dominant stenoses, as well as with UDCA, survival may be significantly improved (compared with the predicted survival). PMID: 15879621 ___________________ So this might be something you could talk to your son's doctors about ... could the elevated LFT's be a sign of a dominant stricture developing? Best regards, Dave (father of (21); PSC 07/03; UC 08/03) [i just returned from Bethesda, MD, after dropping off there for his summer internship at NIH]. > but even though he is taking large doses of ursodeoxycholic acid for his liver his LFT's are starting to climb again…. He is also has mild neutropenia. Do you have any ideas of why this is?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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