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Review
. 2017 Nov 6:10:265-273.
doi: 10.2147/CEG.S105872. eCollection 2017.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis: diagnostic and management challenges

Sanjeev Sirpal  1 , Natasha Chandok  2
Affiliations
Review

Primary sclerosing cholangitis: diagnostic and management challenges

Sanjeev Sirpal et al. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic immune-mediated disease affecting intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts, primarily the large biliary ducts. Clinical manifestations are broad, and the spectrum encompasses asymptomatic cholestasis, icteric cholangitis with pruritis, cirrhosis, and cholangiocarcinoma. Though rare, PSC has a propensity to affect young to middle-aged males and is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel disease. There is an unmet need for effective medical treatments for PSC, and to date, the only curative therapy is liver transplantation reserved for those with end-stage liver disease. This article addresses the diagnostic and management challenges of PSC, with a succinct analysis of existing therapies, their limitations, and a glimpse into the future of the management of this multifaceted pathologic entity.

Keywords: PSC; management; primary sclerosing cholangitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

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