Treatment of Fatigue in Primary Biliary Cholangitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Overview

Journal Dig Dis Sci

Specialty Gastroenterology

Date 2019 Jan 12

PMID 30632051

Citations 18

Authors

Jennifer Y Lee

Christopher J Danford

Hirsh D Trivedi

Elliot B Tapper

Vilas R Patwardhan

Alan Bonder

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background And Aims: Fatigue is the most common complication of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and can be debilitating. Numerous interventions have been trialed targeting several proposed mechanisms of PBC-associated fatigue. We sought to summarize and perform a meta-analysis to determine the efficacy of these interventions.

Methods: A comprehensive database search was conducted from inception through March 27, 2018. The primary outcome was proportion of fatigued patients or reduction in degree of fatigue. Adverse events were a secondary outcome. We assessed studies for risk of bias, graded quality of evidence, and used meta-analysis to obtain overall effect by pooling studies of the same class.

Results: We identified 16 studies evaluating ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) (7), liver transplantation (2), serotonin reuptake inhibitors (2), colchicine (1), methotrexate (1), cyclosporine (1), modafinil (1), and obeticholic acid (1). On meta-analysis, UDCA was not associated with a reduction in risk of fatigue (RR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.69-1.08, p = 0.19, I = 56.2%). While liver transplantation did reduce degree of fatigue (SMD - 0.57, 95% CI - 0.89 to - 0.24, p = 0.001, I = 67.3%), fatigue did not return to baseline indicating the underlying cause may not be addressed.

Conclusions: While there is some improvement in fatigue with liver transplantation, there is a lack of high-quality evidence supporting the efficacy of any other intervention in the treatment of PBC-related fatigue. Further research into the underlying pathophysiology may help guide future trials.

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