Timely Study on - Small-duct PSC

[Guest guest]

Einar Björnsson

1/17/2009

Abstract: Patients with cholestatic liver tests and

typical histologic features of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) but

a normal cholangiogram have been

identified as having small-duct PSC. This subgroup of PSC has been less well characterized than the classic largeduct form. Some patients characterized as having

small-duct PSC develop cholangiographic features of

PSC during follow-up. Three papers published in 2002 on small-duct PSC patients

suggested a better prognosis in patients with small-duct PSC than in those with

large-duct PSC. However, these studies included a limited number of patients

and had a short follow-up. A combined cohort of these patients with a prolonged

follow-up recently confirmed these previous observations. However, some patients

will suffer from liver-related mortality or will need to undergo liver

transplantation. Recurrence of small-duct PSC after liver transplantation has been reported. Cholangiocarcinoma, the most feared

complication of PSC, has not been described in a

patient with small-duct PSC without progression first to large-duct PSC.

Full article can be found

here - http://www.metapress.com/content/6194408117162270/

  

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