[New aspects of the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis, a study of 42 patients (author's transl)].

Studies on 42 patients (38 women, 4 men) with chronic-destructive non-purulent cholangitis or primary biliary cirrhosis demonstrated that the duration of symptoms does not correlate with the histological stages. The shortest duration of symptoms was found in patients in the cirrhotic stage. Enzyme levels measured at the time of diagnosis indicated that--contrary to serum bilirubin and serum copper levels--they did not correlate with the stage of the disease. There was an increased frequency of allergic signs in the past history of this group of patients. Furthermore, in all the women (average age 45) there was a 29% abortion rate. Among the three control groups (no liver disease, chronic-aggressive hepatitis, other forms of liver disease), the one with chronic-aggressive hepatitis also showed a high abortion rate (19.5%).