| [ Summary ] |
In 1997, we reported that the antihyperlipidemic bezafibrate is effective in improving the level of IgM, a hepatobiliary enzyme, in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). There is currently a need to clarify the role of bezafibrate in pharmacotherapy for PBC. The ultimate question is whether it improves the long term prognosis for PBC patients and prolongs their survival. In order to answer this question, we conducted the following: (1) a study to evaluate the usefulness of bezafibrate alone and in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), (2) a randomized trial using UDCA as a control, and (3) a histological study in patients under long term treatment with bezafibrate alone. Findings obtained showed that biochemically, bezafibrate is more effective than UDCA, that bezafibrate improves IgM levels over relatively long periods of time, even when it is used alone, and that it shows a tendency to improve histopathological changes, suggesting that it improves long term prognoses and prolongs survival. |