Clinical trial: randomized controlled study of zidovudine and lamivudine for patients with primary biliary cirrhosis stabilized on ursodiol

摘要

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a cholestatic liver disorder of unknown aetiology. The histological disease is characterized by a nonsuppurative cholangi-tis with lymphocytic infiltration and granulomatous destruction of 30-80 /mi, interlobular bile ducts.1 Duc-topenia and accumulation of bile within the liver cause progressive liver damage and fibrosis. As a result, patients derive considerable benefit from urso-deoxycholic acid (UDCA), which has been established to slow the progression of the liver disease with prolonged therapy. However, long-term histological studies have not shown a reversal of ductopenia with UDCA and the effect on survival is still controversial. Accordingly, there is a need for better management strategies for patients with progressive disease. Our incomplete knowledge of factors that cause and propagate PBC has limited the potential targets for therapeutic intervention#