The Clinical Significance of Simplified Scoring Criteria as a Diagnostic Tool for Overlap Syndrome in Korea.
- Author:
Min Suk KIM
1
;
Young Seok KIM
;
Sang Gyune KIM
;
Jin Myung BYUN
;
La Young YOON
;
Dong Hoon HAN
;
Jong Joo MOON
;
Jae Hyung NAM
;
Tae Jin KIM
;
Sae Hwan LEE
;
Seung Won JUNG
;
Hong Soo KIM
;
Boo Sung KIM
;
Hee Kyung KIM
Author Information
1. Digestive Disease Center and Rescanch Institute, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Bucheon, Korea. liverkys@schmc.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Liver cirrhosis;
Biliary;
Hepatitis;
Autoimmune;
Diagnosis
- MeSH:
Biopsy;
Fibrosis;
Hepatitis;
Hepatitis, Autoimmune;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin G;
Korea;
Liver;
Liver Cirrhosis;
Retrospective Studies
- From:Korean Journal of Medicine
2013;84(2):211-220
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The diagnosis of primary billiary cirrhosis (PBC)-autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) overlap syndrome remains challenging. In 2008, a simplified scoring system was proposed by the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group, which aimed for wider applicability in routine clinical practice. We evaluated the performance of the new simplified AIH scoring criteria as a diagnostic tool for overlap syndrome. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical histories, chemistry, autoimmune studies, and liver biopsy results of 25 patients diagnosed with PBC who visited Soonchunhyang University Hospital, Bucheon and Seoul, between November 2004 and December 2009. Parameters relevant to the revised and simplified scoring criteria were recorded, and outcomes were compared between those with and without features of overlap syndrome. RESULTS: Of 25 patients with a definite diagnosis of PBC, five (20%) were diagnosed with overlap syndrome using the revised criteria, and 18 patients (72%) were diagnosed with the simplified criteria. Those patients diagnosed according to the simplified scoring criteria revealed an increased frequency of anti-nuclear antibody (p = 0.030) and serum IgG levels (p = 0.092). Additionally, advanced fibrosis was significantly more frequent in patients with overlap syndrome (p = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: The simplified scoring criteria seemed to be useful as a diagnostic tool to recognize overlap syndrome in Korea. However, a relatively small number of patients were included in our study, so further clinical trials based on larger populations should be performed.
