Other Diseases & Conditions Associated With PBC

Most often:

Arthritis – an inflammation of joints due to infectious, metabolic, or constitutional causes.

Osteoporosis – a condition characterized by decrease in bone mass with decreased density and enlargement of bone spaces producing porosity and brittleness.

Pruritis – localized or generalized itching due to irritation of sensory nerve endings.

Jaundice – a yellowish pigmentation of the skin, tissues, and certain body fluids caused by the deposition of bile pigments that follows interference with normal production and discharge of bile, as in certain liver diseases.

Dental Problems – Liver disorders are important to the dentist and patient due to a potential bleeding tendency, intolerance to drugs eg general anesthetics, benzodiazepines, gum disease, bone loss and the possibility of underlying infective causes for the liver dysfunction.

Sicca Complex – Secondary Sjögren’s syndrome occurs along with other autoimmune disorders, like systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and primary biliary cholangitis as a symptom of the primary disease. When the disorder is limited to involvement of the eyes and mouth, with no other organ or tissue involvement evident, it is called sicca complex. (Don’t confuse the disease Sjogrens Syndrome with the PBC symptoms “Dry Eyes & Dry Mouth”.)

Occasionally:

Autoimmune Hepatitis – is a chronic disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks the liver and causes it to become inflamed.

Celiac Disease – a chronic hereditary intestinal disorder in which an inability to absorb the gliadin portion of gluten results in the gliadin triggering an immune response that damages the intestinal mucosa—called also celiac sprue, gluten-sensitive enteropathy, nontropical sprue, sprue.

Costochondritis – a condition of unknown origin that is characterized by inflammation of costochondral cartilage—called also costochondritis, Tietze’s disease.

Crohns Disease – chronic ileitis that typically involves the distal portion of the ileum, often spreads to the colon, and is characterized by diarrhea, cramping, and loss of appetite and weight with local abscesses and scarring.

Diabetes – a disease characterized by an inability to process sugars in the diet, due to a decrease in or total absence of insulin production.

Fibromyalgia – a neurosensory disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, joint stiffness, and fatigue. The condition is chronic (ongoing), but pain comes and goes and moves about the body.

Gallstones – a solid crystal deposit that forms in the gallbladder, which is a pear-shaped organ that stores bile salts until they are needed to help digest fatty foods. Gallstones can migrate to other parts of the digestive tract and cause severe pain with life-threatening complications.

Hyperthyroidism – is the overproduction of thyroid hormones by an overactive thyroid.

Hypothyroidism – or underactive thyroid, develops when the thyroid gland fails to produce or secrete as much thyroxine (T₄) as the body needs. Because T₄ regulates such essential functions as heart rate, digestion, physical growth, and mental development, an insufficient supply of this hormone can slow life-sustaining processes, damage organs and tissues in every part of the body, and lead to life-threatening complications.

Pulmonary Disorders – pertaining to the lungs or pulmonary artery. Includes respiratory problems such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, occupational respiratory diseases, mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease, pulmonary fibrosis and sleep disorders.

Raynaud’s Phenomenon – intermittent attacks of ischemia of the extremities of the body, especially the fingers, toes, ears, and nose, caused by exposure to cold or by emotional stimuli. The attacks are characterized by severe blanching of the extremities, followed by cyanosis, then redness; they are usually accompanied by numbness, tingling, burning, and often pain.

Renal Tubular Acidosis – (RTA) is a condition characterized by too much acid in the body due to a defect in kidney function.

Scleroderma – a progressive disease that affects the skin and connective tissue (including cartilage, bone, fat, and the tissue that supports the nerves and blood vessels throughout the body). There are two major forms of the disorder. The type known as localized scleroderma mainly affects the skin. Systemic scleroderma, which is also called systemic sclerosis, affects the smaller blood vessels and internal organs of the body.

Sjogrens Syndrome – a disorder in which the mouth and eyes become extremely dry. Sjögren’s syndrome is often associated with other autoimmune disorders. There are three types of Sjögren’s syndrome. Primary Sjögren’s syndrome occurs by itself, with no other associated disorders. Secondary Sjögren’s syndrome occurs along with other autoimmune disorders, like systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and primary biliary cholangitis. When the disorder is limited to involvement of the eyes, with no other organ or tissue involvement evident, it is called sicca complex. (Don’t confuse the disease Sjogrens Syndrome with the PBC symptoms “Dry Eyes & Dry Mouth”.)

Rarely:

Multiple Sclerosis – a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting movement, ensation, and bodily functions. It is caused by destruction of the myelin insulation covering nerve fibers (neurons) in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord).)

Lupus – a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disorder that may affect many organ systems including the skin, joints, and internal organs.