PBC, autoimmune?
Wonder if anyone knows of research to... - British Liver Trust
Wonder if anyone knows of research to establish whether PBC is autoimmune .? My GP said that jury is out on whether it is,and may not be.
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geraldine60
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The BLT guide & page on Primary Biliary Cholangitis certainly says it is an auto immune condition.
"Doctors know that PBC is an autoimmune disease that occurs in some people because of a combination of subtle differences in their genetic make-up and environmental factors – so where you live and the environment around you, but also cigarette smoke and other toxins. In an autoimmune disease, the body’s defence mechanism (the immune system) wrongly identifies its own cells as ‘invaders’ and attacks them. In PBC, the immune system attacks the cells lining the bile ducts.
Doctors understand many of the very subtle genetic changes that are associated with developing PBC, and these are the same gene changes that are seen in many other autoimmune conditions. However, experts are still trying to understand more about the environmental factors that play a part in PBC. Smoking is known to be a risk factor, and some doctors believe that an infection or other environmental toxin may act as a trigger.
Very occasionally, PBC is diagnosed during or just after pregnancy. However, it’s not clear whether pregnancy itself triggers the condition or simply that pregnant women are under close medical supervision, meaning it’s more likely the symptoms of PBC are picked up during this time. Doctors don’t know why PBC is nearly only ever seen in adults, or why it’s much more common in women than in men.
Drinking alcohol does not cause PBC."
You'll see the full page at:-
britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...
Katie
PBC is definitely autoimmune. What the jury is out on it the cause. Current thinking is that there is a genetic component and a trigger is also needed to start it off. It is the trigger that is unknown, various medicines, diseases and environmental factors have been suggested.
PBC is an autoimmune liver condition. See both our website and the PBC Foundation.
