Advice

Please can you advise me what LFTS are high with PBC and what liver biopsy will show with Pbc

Many thanks

[chynablue]

Alkaline Phosphatase and Bilirubin are typically high with PBC. I'm not sure what the biopsy shows.

[SimbaTutor]

The liver biopsy will show any signs of liver inflammation and whether fibrosis (scarring) is happening. As I understand it in PBC, some of the bile acids leak into the liver tissue and results in inflammation at that location. The immune system responds to the inflammation and works to heal the location. This response causes granulomas and the fibrosis is the result of the body trying to heal them.. Once scarred over, that location no longer can function normally. My biopsy last May showed all three stages between the 4 samples ... inflammation, granulomas, and the very beginning of mild fibrosis.

The first clue I had of something wrong was a routine blood work check that showed slightly elevated ALP. Follow-up blood work showed elevated mitochondrial antibodies and a note on the lab report stating this is found in 90+% of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. I started asking "What's THAT?" since I had never heard of it. The ALP was back in the normal range so my family doc said recheck at next visit. When I returned, ALP was high again so he referred me to gastro doc. Liver biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of PBC and my gastro doc started me on urso.

[Gioielli5]

I had a liver biopsy when diagnosed 6 years ago. It was fine and informed in stage 2!!! But the biopsy is only performed in one part of the liver which may or may not be affected. Given the choice again I would not bother. High LFT and AMA+ should be enough for diagnosis. Since being on Urso I feel well and healthy just get very tired if do too much and occasional pain in right side under ribs.