1986 Volume 27 Issue 9 Pages 1272-1280
Twenty-three patients with primary biliary cirrhosis were evaluated for their clinical features, to clarify the differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Fifteen were symptomatic and 8 were asymptomatic. symptomatic patients had a higher value of serum GOT and γ-GTP (p<0.05) and a higher titer of anti-mitochondrial antibod (p<0.05) than those of asymptomatic patients. Sjögren's syndrome was the most commonly associated disease. Sicca symptom was observed in 55% of all patients and was observed more commonly in symptomatic patients (p<0.05). It was noteworthy that no patients had the positive results for both SS-A and SS-B antibodies, which were known to be specific for Sjögren's syndrome. Although biochemical and immunological data among symptomatic or asymptomatic patients did not differ significantly according to the presence of Sjögren's syndrome, it remains to be determined whether the presence of Sjögren's sysdrome affects the clinical features of primary biliary cirrhosis.
