Improvement of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) under treatment with sulfasalazine and abatacept

A 51-year-old female patient was diagnosed with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in 2012 and rheumafactor-positive, Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA)-positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 2013. The diagnosis of a PBC was confirmed by liver biopsy showing portal inflammatory infiltrates with non-suppurative inflammatory lesions of the biliary duct (figure 1). PBC has been treated with ursodeoxycholic acid since 2012. Figure 1 Dense lymphocytic infiltrates in portal tracts affecting small portal bile ducts, moderate lobular infiltrates. After diagnosis of RA (initial Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28)=6.43), therapy was initiated with leflunomide 20 mg/day and low-dose oral glucocorticoids, tapered from 20 mg/day to zero over 12 weeks. Remission was reached within 4 months (DAS 28=1.84). However, elevated …