Real-world Study Highlights Indicators of More Severe Liver Fibrosis Among Patients With PBC 

By
Kerri Fitzgerald
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A study assessed demographic, socioeconomic, and disease-related factors to determine any impacts to primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) outcomes. The study, presented at the AASLD Liver Meeting, found that Hispanics and Latinos were more socially disadvantaged and had higher rates of more severe stages of liver fibrosis compared with non-Hispanic individuals. 

The retrospective cohort study included 207 patients (median age, 61 years; 83% female) from a non-academic hepatology clinic in Los Angeles County between 2009 and 2023; 49.5% identified as Hispanic or Latino. Most individuals (85%) responded to ursodeoxycholic acid treatment.  

The Area Deprivation Index (scale of 1–10, least to most disadvantaged) was significantly higher (P<.0016) in Hispanics/Latinos than non-Hispanics/Latinos: 

  • Score 1–3: 16.5% versus 34.4%; 
  • Score 4–6: 52.8% versus 52.7%; and 
  • Score 7–10: 30.7% versus 12.9%.  

Compared with non-Hispanics/Latinos, Hispanics/Latinos had: 

  • Higher body mass index (median, 26.7 vs 24.4 kg/m2; P>.0025); 
  • More associated metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease; (MASLD)/metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH; 45.6% vs 19.35%; P<.0001); and 
  • FibroScan score of stage F2–4 (80.4% vs 52.7%; P=.0059).  

Patients with a FibroScan score of F2–4 (63%; indicative of more moderate to severe liver fibrosis) had a: 

  • Lower rates of marriage (76.2% vs 53.5%; P>0.0147); 
  • Higher prevalence of MASLD/MASH (49.3% vs 31.0%; P=.0429); and 
  • Higher rate of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH; 33.3% vs 14.3%; P=.0289).  

The following indicators independently predicted stage F2–4 disease: 

  • AIH (odds ratio [OR], 3.91; P=.0131); 
  • MASLD/MASH (OR, 2.49; P=.0411); and 
  • Male gender (OR, 4.44; P=.0217). 

Reference 

Alff S, Ventura O, Foster-Malave TL, Mendler M, Mena E. Disparities in primary biliary cholangitis: a retrospective study using real-world data from a single hepatology clinic in the greater Los Angeles area. Abstract 2151. Presented at the 2024 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases’ 75th Liver Meeting; November 15–19, 2024; San Diego. 

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