| [ Summary ] |
Characteristics of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)cases in Japan include a higher average age (47 yrs), a lower incidence of complications of inflammatory bowel diseases (21%) and a higher incidence of complications of chronic pancreatitis (15%), in comparison to American and European cases. Furthermore, two peaks were observed in the age distribution of PSC cases in Japan. Patients younger than 40yrs had a higher incidence of complications of inflammatory bowel diseases (39%), a lower incidence of complications of chronic pancreatitis (4%) and a higher incidence of damage involving both intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts (89%).
These findings indicate that cases of different etiologies are included among PSC patients older than 40 yrs in Japan. In the diagnosis of PSC, we need to consider these points, and further studies including criteria for diagnosing PSC are required. |