A patient with primary biliary cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis variant syndrome

Abstract

Overlap between autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and either primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) or primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is not rare and has extensively been reported. We herein report the first well documented case of triple overlap. A 68-year-old male patient presented with asymptomatic PBC including normal alkaline phosphatase serum level, developed AIH five years later, associated with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography biliary changes typical for PSC. Despite treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid and mycophenolate mofetil, owing to prednisone and azathioprine intolerance, he continued to have interface hepatitis and developed increasing fibrosis at follow-up liver biopsy. Our case report raises awareness for this rare and difficult to diagnose and treat clinical phenotype.

Keywords

• Primary biliary cholangitis
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Variant syndrome
• Normal serum alkaline phosphatase level