Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background & Aims
Pruritus in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) worsens patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a biomarker of PBC activity, has an unclear relationship with pruritus severity.
Methods
This retrospective, cross‐sectional analysis utilized data from participants with confirmed PBC diagnoses, from the PicnicHealth PBC registry, with ≥ 1 completed PBC‐40 questionnaire (most recent was used). The primary analysis included participants with a qualifying ALP measurement. Participants were categorized by pruritus severity per PBC‐40 itch domain (clinically significant [CS] pruritus [score ≥ 7], or non‐CS pruritus [score = 1–6]); serum ALP (normal [ALP ≤ 1 × upper limit of normal; ULN], mildly elevated [ALP > 1–
Results
Overall, 232 participants completed ≥ 1 PBC‐40 questionnaire; 141 had a qualifying ALP measurement. Most participants with pruritus were female (97%) and white (93%); 53% had CS pruritus. 23% (13/57), 32% (17/53) and 52% (16/31) of participants with normal, mildly elevated and high ALP, respectively, reported CS pruritus. Participants with CS pruritus had significantly higher scores across non‐itch PBC‐40 domains (
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Conclusions
CS pruritus is common, present in patients irrespective of ALP levels and significantly impacts HRQoL.