Successful Treatment of Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis with a Steroid and a Probiotic

Abstract

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a serious disease that not only affects quality of life but can also have a significant effect on patient survival. The treatment for PSC is primarily supportive with the aim of controlling cholestatic symptoms and preventing complications. Ursodeoxycholic acid may induce biochemical improvements in affected patients; however, long-term pediatric studies to determine its possible benefits in young patients are lacking. Thus, the treatment of pediatric PSC remains a significant clinical challenge. We describe a patient with PSC and undetermined colitis who was treated with a combination of a steroid, salazosulfapyridine, and a probiotic. This treatment provided benefits both for PSC and the undetermined colitis. These findings suggest that bacterial flora and gut inflammation are closely associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease-related PSC. Suppression of bowel inflammation and maintenance of bacterial homeostasis may be important for treating PSC.