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In this practical and patient-focused video, Dr. Nadege Gunn, a hepatologist based in Waco, Texas, shares essential diet and lifestyle strategies for individuals living with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). Addressing a common question—“What can I eat or do to feel better?”—Dr. Gunn highlights the benefits of a balanced, Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, and olive oil. She emphasizes bone health as a key concern for PBC patients, recommending adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium, resistance-based exercises, and regular weight-bearing activity. The video also stresses the importance of monitoring fat-soluble vitamin levels (A, D, E, and K), avoiding alcohol, and supplementing with a multivitamin if needed. Dr. Gunn further underscores the role of maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, avoiding smoking, and ensuring hepatitis A and B vaccinations to prevent additional liver complications. Whether you're a provider looking to guide patients or someone living with PBC seeking actionable advice, this video offers valuable lifestyle recommendations to help manage the disease and improve overall liver health.

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In this thoughtful discussion, Dr. Nancy Reau from RUSH University Medical Center explores the often-overlooked psychological impact of Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). While managing the physical symptoms of PBC is critical, addressing the emotional and mental health challenges faced by patients is equally important. Dr. Reau highlights how the lifelong nature of PBC, its familial implications, unpredictable progression, and extrahepatic symptoms like fatigue and pruritus can contribute to significant stress, anxiety, and emotional strain. Many patients may appear physically healthy yet suffer from symptoms that disrupt their daily lives and relationships—leading to frustration, isolation, and misunderstood expectations from others. Even those in biochemical remission can experience mental health burdens, especially if they’ve seen loved ones struggle with the disease. Dr. Reau emphasizes the need for providers to initiate open conversations about these psychological effects to validate patient experiences and support overall wellness. If you're a clinician or caregiver seeking a more holistic approach to PBC management, or a patient navigating the emotional side of liver disease, this video offers compassionate, practical guidance.

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In this insightful discussion, Dr. Tatyana Kushner, hepatologist and associate professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, explores the critical issue of medication adherence in patients living with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). While ursodeoxycholic acid (ursodiol) remains the cornerstone of first-line therapy for PBC, up to half of patients express uncertainty or reluctance about taking it consistently. Dr. Kushner delves into the complex barriers affecting adherence, including lack of symptom relief, fear of side effects, misunderstanding of long-term benefits, pill burden from multiple daily doses, and socioeconomic challenges such as medication costs and insurance coverage. She also addresses the impact of extrahepatic symptoms—like pruritus, fatigue, and depression—which can further discourage regular medication use. Importantly, certain subgroups, such as younger patients and males, have been shown to be at higher risk for non-adherence and may require additional support. If you're a healthcare provider managing PBC or a patient navigating treatment, this video offers valuable insights into improving adherence and outcomes.

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In this engaging update from the Allied Digestive Health Annual Conference, Dr. Sonal Kumar, hepatologist at Weill Cornell Medicine, shares the latest advancements in diagnosing and managing Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). Dr. Kumar emphasizes the importance of early assessment and intervention—highlighting the limitations of outdated treatment algorithms that delay evaluation for second-line therapy. Instead, clinicians are now encouraged to assess patients as early as 6 months after starting ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), especially those with elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP), advanced fibrosis, or younger age. The discussion also explores the evolving treatment goals in PBC, including a shift toward normalization of ALP and bilirubin levels as key biomarkers of disease activity and prognosis. Dr. Kumar highlights exciting data from the ELATIVE and RESPONSE trials, which led to the approval of two new PPAR agonists—elafibranor and seladelpar—offering improved ALP normalization rates and even symptom relief for pruritus. This marks a significant turning point in how hepatologists approach symptom management in PBC, with fatigue and pruritus now recognized as critical components of care. Learn more about this evolving treatment landscape and how these advancements are shaping a more personalized, proactive approach for patients living with PBC.

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In this comprehensive discussion, Hetal Karsan, Chair of Medical Education at United Digestive, explores how to manage complications of Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) and their impact on patient quality of life. PBC is a chronic autoimmune cholestatic liver disease that primarily affects women—but is increasingly diagnosed in men. Dr. Karsan breaks down the progression from inflammation to fibrosis and cirrhosis, and emphasizes how early diagnosis and adherence to treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) can dramatically improve outcomes.

Learn practical strategies to monitor liver function, prevent and manage complications such as variceal hemorrhage, ascites, hepatic carcinoma, and osteoporosis. Discover the importance of normalizing alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin, supporting nutrition and vitamin levels, and reducing risk through lifestyle changes. Dr. Karsan also highlights how fatigue and pruritus impact daily life for patients with PBC and discusses both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic ways to help. From screening recommendations to emotional support and patient education, this video is a vital guide for healthcare providers treating PBC.

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Discover the evolving landscape of Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) treatment with Dr. Huiming Sooki Hon from United Digestive. In this expert-led discussion, Dr. Sooki Hon reviews both established and emerging therapies for PBC, beginning with first-line treatment using ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and the importance of early diagnosis and biochemical monitoring. Learn why normalization—not just reduction—of alkaline phosphatase is becoming a new treatment goal, and why up to 40% of patients may require second-line therapy. Dr. Sooki Hon outlines the latest FDA-approved options, including obeticholic acid, elafibranor, and seladelpar, highlighting their mechanisms of action, efficacy, and key safety considerations. This video also explores promising investigational therapies and combination strategies aimed at slowing disease progression and improving symptom control. Whether you're a healthcare professional or a patient seeking updated information on PBC management, this comprehensive overview provides valuable insights into current standards and future directions.

In this expert spotlight, Dr. Nancy Reau of RUSH University Medical Center addresses two of the most pressing challenges in the management of Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC): delayed diagnosis and delayed treatment escalation. Drawing from clinical insights and institutional data, Dr. Reau discusses how symptoms such as fatigue, pruritus, and elevated alkaline phosphatase often go unrecognized for years—resulting in delayed initiation of therapy. She highlights the importance of earlier testing with antimitochondrial and PBC-specific antinuclear antibodies to improve time to diagnosis. Dr. Reau also examines the hesitancy among clinicians to escalate therapy beyond ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), despite new FDA-approved second-line treatments such as obeticholic acid and PPAR agonists. With clear benchmarks like alkaline phosphatase normalization and bilirubin control now guiding treatment response, she calls for timely intervention to improve prognosis, transplant-free survival, and quality of life in patients with PBC.

In this expert-led video, Dr. Nadege Gunn, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist based in Waco, Texas, offers a practical and up-to-date overview of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC)—a chronic autoimmune liver disease that primarily affects women and can progress to cirrhosis if not treated early. Dr. Gunn breaks down the key steps in diagnosing PBC using simple blood tests, including alkaline phosphatase and antimitochondrial antibody levels, and highlights the importance of non-invasive fibrosis assessment tools like elastography. She discusses first-line treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and reviews second-line therapies such as obeticholic acid and newer agents with PPAR mechanisms that are emerging in 2024 to address both biochemical response and symptom control, including pruritus. With a focus on early diagnosis, personalized care, and integrating evolving therapies, Dr. Gunn emphasizes the need to proactively manage PBC to prevent progression and improve long-term outcomes. This video is a must-watch for healthcare professionals seeking a concise yet comprehensive clinical approach to PBC.

In this video, Dr. Sonal Kumar, hepatologist at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, discusses the complex and often debilitating symptoms associated with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC)—a chronic autoimmune liver disease. Dr. Kumar provides expert insight into symptom identification and management strategies for pruritus (itching), fatigue, jaundice, dry eyes and mouth (Sjögren's overlap), and brain fog. She emphasizes that symptom burden in PBC does not always align with disease severity, meaning even patients with early-stage or well-controlled liver disease may experience significant quality-of-life disruptions. The video explores first-line and second-line treatments for pruritus, techniques to manage fatigue, and supportive therapies for brain fog and dryness. Dr. Kumar also highlights the importance of multidisciplinary care and addressing coexisting mental health concerns to optimize outcomes. For healthcare providers managing patients with PBC, this presentation reinforces the need for a personalized, symptom-focused approach to care.

In this expert-led video, Dr. Jeff Kahn, hepatologist at the University of Southern California, explores the often-overlooked topic of symptom control and quality of life in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Although PBC is a chronic liver disease, symptoms like fatigue and pruritus (itching) can appear early and significantly impact patients’ daily functioning, mental health, and sleep—often independent of liver disease severity. Dr. Kahn offers practical strategies for managing these symptoms, including first-line and second-line treatments for itching, approaches to improving sleep hygiene, and the importance of addressing vitamin deficiencies (A, D, and K) to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. He also highlights the role of advanced practice providers (APPs) in building trust with patients and navigating sensitive topics. The video closes with a discussion on when to consider liver transplantation and how long-term outcomes for patients with PBC are often favorable. For more insights and resources, visit GHAPP.org or download the GHAPP ACE App.