[3rd place in the competition of scientific work in hepatology in 2010. Treatment of patients with overlap of primary biliary cirrhosis and autoimmune hepatitis].

This paper analyzes the results of different treatments overlap (OS) of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH): ursodeoxycholic acid monotherapy (UDCA) monotherapy with prednisolone (PD), the combination of PD with UDCA. Results of treatment of 16 OS patients with glucocorticoid last generation--budesonide (BS) in combination with UDCA. The treatment results were estimated in reducing severity of intrahepatic cholestasis (IHC), proposed by the author, as well as the degree of reduction of the biochemical activity of enzymes. Evaluated the quality of life by SF-36 questionnaire. In addition, the efficacy of budesonide in combination with UDCA was assessed by morphological examination of liver tissue in the dynamics after 6 months of treatment. The paper convincingly demonstrate that combination therapy OS is more effective in monotherapy reducing clinical and biochemical disease activity, as well as positive effects on quality of life. The advantages of the use of budesonide in combination with UDCA prior systemic glucocorticoids: a high efficiency and low risk of side effects.