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Abstract Details
Role of autoantibodies in the clinical management of primary biliary cholangitis
World J Gastroenterol. 2023 Mar 28;29(12):1795-1810.doi: 10.3748/wjg.v29.i12.1795.
1Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases, General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa 41110, Greece.
2European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa 41110, Greece. eirigopoulou@med.uth.gr.
3Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Larissa 41110, Greece.
Abstract
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease characterized by immune-driven destruction of small intrahepatic bile ducts leading a proportion of patients to hepatic failure over the years. Diagnosis at early stages in concert with ursodeoxycholic acid treatment has been linked with prevention of disease progression in the majority of cases. Diagnosis of PBC in a patient with cholestasis relies on the detection of disease-specific autoantibodies, including anti-mitochondrial antibodies, and disease-specific anti-nuclear antibodies targeting sp100 and gp210. These autoantibodies assist the diagnosis of the disease, and are amongst few autoantibodies the presence of which is included in the diagnostic criteria of the disease. They have also become important tools evaluating disease prognosis. Herein, we summarize existing data on detection of PBC-related autoantibodies and their clinical significance. Moreover, we provide insight on novel autoantibodies and their possible prognostic role in PBC patients.