Primary biliary cirrhosis is a chronic condition caused by damage and inflammation of the bile ducts, the small tubes that connect the liver to the gallbladder and small intestines. The liver produces bile, which travels through the bile ducts to the gallbladder and eventually on to the small intestines. Bile contains enzymes that the small intestine needs to digest fats and fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K. The exact cause of primary biliary cirrhosis is not fully understood but most likely results from the immune system mistakenly attacking the bile ducts. The advanced stages of primary biliary cirrhosis can cause severe health effects.
Liver Cirrhosis
The bile ducts often become completely blocked as a result of primary biliary cirrhosis. This causes bile to back up inside the liver and damages the liver. Over time, the liver become so damaged and scarred that it cannot function properly, a condition known as cirrhosis. Diminished liver function resulting from cirrhosis reduces the ability of the body to fight infection, filter the chemicals and nutrients from the blood and digest some foods, explains the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse. Cirrhosis also increases the risk of liver cancer. If the liver fails completely, a liver transplant may be necessary.
Osteoporosis
Because bile helps the small intestine absorb vitamin D, when the bile duct becomes blocked as a result of primary biliary cirrhosis, the body can no longer effectively absorb vitamin D. Biliary cirrhosis also reduces the ability of the small intestine to absorb calcium. Calcium and vitamin D are necessary to maintain healthy bones, meaning that patients with advanced primary biliary cirrhosis may develop severe osteoporosis, leading to thin, brittle bones, explains the Mayo Clinic.
Stomach Bleeding
Primary biliary cirrhosis disrupts the normal blood through the liver, which can cause the veins leading out of the liver to become distended and enlarged. The increased pressure in these veins may sometimes cause the veins to rupture, spilling blood into the stomach or throat. This hemorrhaging in the stomach can be a life-threatening emergency that requires emergency medical treatment, warns the Mayo Clinic.
Memory Problems
Brain function sometimes begins to deteriorate in advanced stages of primary biliary cirrhosis, reports The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis may develop problems of memory loss or difficulty concentrating. The exact cause of this mental decline is not fully understood, and the degree of mental decline does not correlate with the degree of liver damage.
Weight Loss
The reduction of bile in the small intestine can cause additional problems digesting food. Without bile, the intestines have particular trouble digesting and absorbing fats. As a result, people with advanced primary biliary cirrhosis often pass a large amount of fats through the bowels, causing greasy, foul-smelling stools, explains the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Over time, this inability to absorb fats and other foods can lead to severe weight loss in the advanced stages of primary biliary cirrhosis.
