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Optimizing therapy in primary biliary cholangitis: Alkaline phosphatase at six months identifies one‐year non‐responders and predicts survival

Liver International, vol. 43, pp. 1497–1506

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and insufficient response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), currently assessed after 1 year, are candidates for second-line therapy. The aims of this study are to assess biochemical response pattern and determine the utility of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) at six months as a predictor of insufficient response. METHODS: UDCA-treated patients in the GLOBAL PBC database with available liver biochemistries at one year were included. POISE criteria were used to assess response to treatment, defined as ALP <1.67 × upper limit of normal (ULN) and normal total bilirubin at one year. Various thresholds of ALP at six months were evaluated to predict insufficient response based on negative predictive value (NPV) and that with nearest to 90% NPV was selected. RESULTS: For the study, 1362 patients were included, 1232 (90.5%) female, mean age of 54 years. The POISE criteria were met by 56.4% (n = 768) of patients at one year. The median ALP (IQR) of those who met POISE criteria compared to those who did not was 1.05 × ULN (0.82-1.33) vs. 2.37 × ULN (1.72-3.69) at six months (p < .001). Of 235 patients with serum ALP >1.9 × ULN at six months, 89% did not achieve POISE criteria (NPV) after one year of UDCA. Of those with insufficient response by POISE criteria at one year, 210 (67%) had an ALP >1.9 × ULN at six months and thus would have been identified early. CONCLUSIONS: We can identify patients for second-line therapy at six months using an ALP threshold of 1.9 × ULN, given that approximately 90% of these patients are non-responders according to POISE criteria.

Authors 30

  1. University of Miami

    Affiliation as printed

    Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases University of Miami Miami Florida USA

    Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA

  2. University of Toronto

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada

    University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  3. National Institute for Health and Care Research · NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre · University of Birmingham

    Affiliation as printed

    National Institute for Health Research Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre and Centre for Liver Research University of Birmingham Birmingham UK

    National Institute for Health Research Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre and Centre for Liver Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

  4. Hôpital Saint-Antoine

    Affiliation as printed

    Centre de Référence des Maladies Inflammatoires des Voies Biliaires Hôpital Saint‐Antoine Paris France

  5. Erasmus MC

    Affiliation as printed

    Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam Rotterdam Netherlands

    Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands

  6. University of Milan

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Health Sciences Università degli Studi di Milano Milan Italy

  7. Arizona State University

    Affiliation as printed

    Arizona State University Phoenix Arizona USA

    Arizona State University, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

  8. Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven · KU Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Hepatology University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven Leuven Belgium

    Department of Hepatology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

  9. Liver Institute Northwest

    Affiliation as printed

    Liver Institute Northwest Washington USA

    Liver Institute Northwest, Washington, USA

  10. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · Jena University Hospital · Friedrich Schiller University Jena · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine IV Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen Aachen Germany

    Department of Internal Medicine IV, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany

  11. University of Padua

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology University of Padua Padua Italy

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

  12. University of Padua

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology University of Padua Padua Italy

    IRCCS Negrar Verona Italy

    Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    IRCCS Negrar, Verona, Italy

  13. University of Alberta

    Affiliation as printed

    Divison of Gastroenterology and Hepatology University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada

    Divison of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

  14. University Health Network · Toronto General Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital University Health Network Toronto Ontario Canada

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  15. Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Academic Medical Center Amsterdam the Netherlands

    Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands

  16. Azienda Ospedaliera San Gerardo · University of Milano-Bicocca

    Affiliation as printed

    Division of Gastroenterology and Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine and Surgery University of Milano‐Bicocca, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases, San Gerardo Hospital Monza Italy

    Division of Gastroenterology and Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy

  17. Humanitas University · IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Department of Biomedical Sciences Humanitas University Rozzano (Milan) Italy

    Division of Internal Medicine and Hepatology, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Rozzano (Milan), Italy

  18. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Digestive and Liver diseases UT Southwestern Medical Center Dallas Texas USA

    Digestive and Liver diseases, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA

  19. University Hospital of Larissa · General Hospital of Larisa, Greece

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Full Member of the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE‐LIVER) General University Hospital of Larissa Larissa Greece

    Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Full Member of the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece

  20. University Hospital of Larissa · General Hospital of Larisa, Greece

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Full Member of the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE‐LIVER) General University Hospital of Larissa Larissa Greece

    Department of Medicine and Research Laboratory of Internal Medicine, National Expertise Center of Greece in Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Full Member of the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE-LIVER), General University Hospital of Larissa, Larissa, Greece

  21. The Royal Free Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    The Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre The Royal Free Hospital London UK

    The Sheila Sherlock Liver Centre, The Royal Free Hospital, London, UK

  22. Ghent University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Ghent University Hospital Ghent Belgium

    Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium

  23. Hospital Clínic de Barcelona · Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas · Consorci Institut D'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi I Sunyer · Universitat de Barcelona

    Affiliation as printed

    Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Health Care Provider of the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE‐LIVER) CIBERehd IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain

  24. Hospital Clínic de Barcelona · Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas · Consorci Institut D'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi I Sunyer · Universitat de Barcelona

    Affiliation as printed

    Liver Unit, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Health Care Provider of the European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases (ERN RARE‐LIVER) CIBERehd IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona Barcelona Spain

  25. University Health Network · Toronto General Hospital · Erasmus MC

    Affiliation as printed

    Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam Rotterdam Netherlands

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital University Health Network Toronto Ontario Canada

    Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  26. Azienda Ospedaliera San Gerardo · University of Milano-Bicocca

    Affiliation as printed

    Division of Gastroenterology and Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine and Surgery University of Milano‐Bicocca, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases, San Gerardo Hospital Monza Italy

    Division of Gastroenterology and Center for Autoimmune Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy

  27. Indiana University School of Medicine

    Affiliation as printed

    Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis Indiana USA

    Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

  28. University Health Network · Toronto General Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital University Health Network Toronto Ontario Canada

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  29. University Health Network · University of Toronto · Toronto General Hospital · Erasmus MC

    Affiliation as printed

    Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam Rotterdam Netherlands

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital University Health Network Toronto Ontario Canada

    University of Toronto Toronto Ontario Canada

    Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, Netherlands

    Toronto Centre for Liver Disease, Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  30. Cynthia Levy corresponding

    University of Miami

    Affiliation as printed

    Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases University of Miami Miami Florida USA

    Schiff Center for Liver Diseases, Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA

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References 23