Bezafibrate plus Ursodeoxycholic Acid for Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is currently the only effective treatment for early-stage primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). However, up to one third of patients with PBC do not experience a biochemical response to UDCA. Bezafibrate, an antilipidemic agent and a ligand of the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptors, has recently been shown to have anticholestatic effects. Now, researchers have examined the benefits and potential mechanisms of the anticholestatic effects of bezafibrate in 31 Japanese patients with early-stage PBC.

All patients were treated with UDCA (600 mg daily), and 19 patients who had an incomplete biochemical response — defined as persistent alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) elevation despite 3 t…