Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Linked to Toxic Waste Sites

[Guest guest]

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Linked to Toxic Waste Sites

By J. Brown, MD

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Mar 07 - Exposure to toxic waste may play a

role in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), findings

from a new study sugges. By contrast, primary sclerosing cholangitis

(PSC) did not show a link with toxic waste.

As reported in the March issue of Hepatology, Dr. ph A. Odin,

from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, and colleagues

found increased rates of PBC near Superfund toxic waste sites in New

York. A particularly large cluster of PBC cases was noted in the

Staten Island borough, which also had the highest density of toxic

waste sites.

The researchers investigated the association after noting that

thyroid disease, which is common among PBC patients, is reportedly

more prevalent near toxic waste sites. The actual and expected rates

of PBC and PSC were determined for all 174 zip codes in New York and

correlated with the locations of toxic waste sites.

Increased rates of PBC, but not PSC, were seen in zip codes

containing or adjacent to a toxic waste site (p = 0.025).

Using special software, the researchers detected five PBC clusters:

one in Staten Island, and two each in the boroughs of Brooklyn and

Queens. The cluster in Staten Island reached statistical significance

and was located near a toxic waste site containing volatile aromatic

hydrocarbons and trichloroethylene.

" Hydrocarbon exposure may cause a loss of tolerance to certain

antigens, " setting in motion an autoimmune reaction that leads to

PBC, Dr. Odin told Reuters Health.

" It is hard to know what percentage of PBC cases are toxin related

since genetics obviously also play a role, " he added. " Two-thirds of

cases may be related to environmental factors, but no one really

knows. "

As to why no association was seen between toxic waste and PSC, Dr.

Odin said " it may just be that we didn't have enough patients. So, we

are a planning a bigger study to see if we can pin that down. "

[Guest guest]

, do you have PBC?

Ginger

[Guest guest]

Hi ginger, I cant answer for LIZ but I dont think she has it,, but they once thought I did, and that scared me more than the hep!!! lol do you have it?gingertumeric <kswift@...> wrote: , do you have PBC?GingerJackie

[Guest guest]

No I have no PBC thank goodness , lol

Re: Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Linked to Toxic Waste Sites

, do you have PBC?Ginger