Summaries of Must-Read Clinical Literature, Guidelines, and FDA Actions
Limits of Antimitochondrial Antibodies as Dx Marker
Hepatology; 2017 Jan; Dahlqvist, Gaouar, et al
Although many patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) have antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs), the biochemical marker has limitations as a diagnostic tool, according to an analysis of 229 patients. The study found that almost 50% of patients with newly detected AMAs did not develop PBC over 7 years. Additional findings included:
- Only 1 out of 6 patients with AMAs and normal alkaline phosphatase levels developed PBC after 5 years.
- 16.1/100,000 patients were AMA positive without having PBC.
- Characteristics of AMA-positive, PBC negative patients included:
- Females: 78%.
- 58 years median age.
- Median AMA titer: 1:160.
- 74% had normal serum alkaline phosphatases.
Dahlqvist G, Gaouar F, Carrat F, et al. Large-scale characterization study of patients with antimitochondrial antibodies but non-established primary biliary cholangitis. Hepatology. 2017;65:152-163. doi:10.1002/hep.28859.
This Week's Must Reads
Must Reads in PBC (Primary Biliary Cholangitis)
Age, Sex, & IBD Linked to Sclerosing Cholangitis Outcomes, Gastroenterology; ePub 2017 Mar 6; Weismuller, et al
Patients with PBC More Likely to Die Waiting for Transplants, Transpl Int; 2017 May; Singal, et al
European Guidelines for Primary Biliary Cholangitis, J Hepatol; ePub 2017 Apr 17; EASL
Autoreactive Antibodies Linked to Xenobiotics in PBC, Hepatology; ePub 2017 May 3; Tanaka, et al
Can PBC Diagnostic Tests Help Track Disease Progress?, Immunol Res; 2017 Feb; Alfano, et al