[Ursodeoxycholic acid in the treatment of chronic cholestatic liver disease. Documented delay in disease progress inspires hope].

The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been investigated in a large number of randomized controlled studies. Meta-analyses of these studies have not proved a beneficial effect on survival. However, these analyses have also comprised patients with end-stage PBC as well as patients with very early PBC. A prolonged survival in such groups of patients is not expected to be demonstrated in short-term studies. Modified meta-analyses are underway. A number of beneficial effects on the disease process and complications still make an optimistic view of the drug in PBC justifiable. Limited experience suggests a beneficial effect of UDCA also in other cholestatic diseases.