Overlapping Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis in Patients with Autoimmune Hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are considered to be autoimmune liver diseases with distinct characteristics, but overlap syndromes (simultaneous or consecutive presence of 2 such disorders) might occur. Identification of overlap syndromes is important because such entities might require additional therapy and have different prognoses. Investigators used magnetic resonance cholangiography (MRC) to determine the prevalence of large bile duct abnormalities in adult AIH patients and identified risk factors associated with their occurrence.

Of 204 adults with AIH identified at a tertiary medical center in Toronto, 79 underwent MRC as a part of routine evaluation. All MRC images were…