Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis And How It Affects Your Liver

5. Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis Versus Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Primary sclerosing cholangitis and primary biliary cirrhosis are similar conditions that cause severe liver damage and can be hard to differentiate. According to a study published in the journal Gastroenterology, “destructive cholangitis occurs in both diseases and leads to similar clinical and biochemical abnormalities.” The study showed that primary biliary cirrhosis mostly occurred in middle-aged women who were hyperpigmented and had keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) while primary sclerosing cholangitis occurs in young men who experienced symptoms of fatigue and frequently had chronic ulcerative colitis.