A patient with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) may show an incomplete response to ursodeoxycholic acid therapy for a number of reasons.
Factors associated with an incomplete response to ursodeoxycholic acid in a patient with PBC:
(1) noncompliance with therapy
(2) incorrect dosing
(3) overlap syndrome of PBC with autoimmune hepatitis
(4) presence of cirrhosis when therapy started
(5) high serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (? indicating more severe disease)
False diagnosis of incomplete response:
(1) other disease causing elevation of serum liver enzymes
(2) progression to cirrhosis from another cause
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Specialty: Gastroenterology, Immunology/Rheumatology
