Abstract Review With Dr. Younossi

Clinical Vignettes

In this video, Dr. Zobair Younossi reviews a compelling abstract presented at the 2024 AASLD meeting in San Diego, focusing on pruritus (itching) in patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). Drawing from a case-control study of nearly 90 PBC patients, Dr. Younossi highlights how moderate to severe pruritus significantly impairs quality of life, as measured by multiple validated patient-reported outcome tools (CLDQ-PBC, PBC-40, 5-D Itch Scale, EQ-5D, FACIT-F, and WPAI). The study also found a strong correlation between severe pruritus and reduced employment, with only 25% of symptomatic patients receiving treatment for their itch. This presentation underscores a critical care gap in symptom management for PBC patients, calling for greater attention to pruritus-focused therapies that can improve both health-related quality of life and work productivity. This is a must-watch for hepatologists, APPs, and GI providers seeking to better understand the real-world impact of cholestatic pruritus and the urgent need for more proactive intervention.