Scientific Research
This page is in a'blog' format with the latest scientific PSC research identified by Google Scholar, Readbyqmx.com and other sources added regularly.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis during childhood and adolescence

Tamir Miloh and Pinar Bulut, Clinical Liver Disease Special Issue: Liver Disease in Children
Volume 2, Issue 5, pages 215–218, October 2013

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an idiopathic, chronic hepatobiliary disorder characterized by inflammation with progressive obliterative fibrosis and focal dilatation of the intrahepatic and/or extrahepatic bile ducts which leads to biliary cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease.[1] The clinical features of PSC in children and adolescents are summarized in Table 2. PSC is more common in Caucasian male patients and has a strong association with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), especially ulcerative colitis. In children, secondary causes of sclerosing cholangitis include Langerhans cell histiocytosis, immunodeficiencies, and cystic fibrosis. The incidence of PSC in children is 0.23 cases per 100,000 person-years compared with 1.11/100,000 in adults.[2] . . . Please click here to access the full text of this article. There is also a video presentation and an interview with the authors

Randomised clinical trial: vancomycin or metronidazole in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis - a pilot study

J. H. Tabibian, E. Weeding, R. A. Jorgensen, J. L. Petz, J. C. Keach, J. A. Talwalkar, K. D. Lindor
Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics Volume 37, Issue 6, pages 604–612, March 2013

Summary

Background
Emerging data suggest that oral antibiotics may have therapeutic effects in primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), but published studies are limited.

Aims
To investigate the safety and efficacy of oral vancomycin and metronidazole in patients with PSC.

Methods
Thirty-five patients with PSC were randomised in a double-blind manner into four groups: vancomycin 125 mg or 250 mg four times/day, or metronidazole 250 mg or 500 mg three times/day for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was decrease in alkaline phosphatase (ALK) at 12 weeks. Secondary end points included serum bilirubin and Mayo PSC risk score; pruritus; and adverse effects (AEs). Nonparametric tests were used for analysis.

Results
The primary endpoint was reached in the low-dose (−43% change in ALK, P = 0.03) and high-dose (−40%, P = 0.02) vancomycin groups, with two patients in the former experiencing ALK normalisation . . . Please click here to read the full text of this article

Note: The reference list of the article provides links to other full text articles.

Successful Treatment of Recurrent Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis after Orthotopic Liver Transplantation with Oral Vancomycin


Yinka K. Davies, Cynthia J. Tsay, Dario V. Caccamo, Kathleen M. Cox, Ricardo O. Castillo, and Kenneth L. Cox
Case Reports in Transplantation
Volume 2013 (2013), Article ID 314292, 5 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/314292

Abstract

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a progressive, cholestatic disease of the liver that is marked by inflammation of the bile ducts and damage to the hepatic biliary tree. Approximately 60–70% of patients also have inflammatory bowel disease and progression of PSC can lead to ulcerative colitis and cirrhosis of the liver. Due to limited understanding of the etiology and mechanism of PSC, the only existing treatment option is orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT); however, recurrence of PSC, after OLT is estimated to be between 5% and 35%. We discuss the successful treatment of a pediatric patient, with recurrent PSC, after OLT with oral Vancomycin ... Please click here to access to the full text of this article