[Primary biliary cirrhosis: therapeutic options].

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic and slowly progressive cholestatic liver disease of autoimmune etiology, characterized by injury of the intra-hepatic bile ducts that may eventually lead to liver failure. Many drugs have been performed for treatment, including agents with choleretic and immunosuppressive properties. Patients, particularly those who start ursodeoxycholic acid treatment at early-stage disease and who respond with improvement of liver biochemistry, have a good prognosis. Liver transplantation is usually an option for PBC patients with severe liver failure.