Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Ulcerative Colitis

Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic hepatobiliary disease characterized by progressive inflammation and fibrosis of the intra and extra biliary tree. This phenomenon leads to diffuse stricturing of the biliary tree and, if left untreated, can result in cirrhosis, portal hypertension and end stage liver disease. There are treatments aimed at delaying the progression of disease and reducing symptoms. However, the definitive treatment at the end stage of this disease is liver transplant. The etiology and pathogenesis of the disease is largely unknown although some researchers have speculated that immunologic and genetic factors may be involved. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is also a chronic inflammatory disorder of the colon of unknown etiology with possible genetic and environmental triggers. The correlation between both these diseases would suggest that the etiology could be immune mediated.