Cirrosis biliar primaria: aspectos clinico- epidemiológicos en una población uruguaya / [Primary biliary cirrhosis: clinical and epidemiological features in an Uruguayan population].

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic cholestatic, autoimmune, liver disease produced by inflammation and destruction of the interlobular bile ducts. It is more frequent among female patients and is usually diagnosed in the fifth decade of life. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with PBC in Uruguay. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This descriptive study included patients from 3 medical centers diagnosed with PBC in the period January 2002 to September 2011. The diagnosis was based on the presence of at least two of the following requirements: cholestasis, antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) (or AMA subtype 2) or positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) (anticentromere pattern) and compatible biopsy. Data recorded were sex, age, symptoms, related illness, laboratory results, images and histology at the moment of the diagnosis. RESULTS: We included 81 patients, 94