Health-related quality of life in patients with primary biliary cholangitis: a cross-sectional study from a single centre in Denmark

BACKGROUND: The impact of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to compare HRQOL in Danish patients with PBC to the general population and to assess associations to clinical and laboratory data. METHODS: We conducted a single-centre, cross-sectional questionnaire study in patients with PBC using the SF-36 and EQ-5D-5L. Clinical and paraclinical data were obtained from patients' healthcare records. SF-36 scores were compared to an age-and gender-matched Danish general population. A general linear model was used to explore which variables were associated with main SF-36 scores. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients with PBC were included. Compared to the Danish general population, patients with PBC had a significantly lower HRQOL in the domains bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, mental health and mental component summary score. No clinical characteristics (gender, age at inclusion, concurrent autoimmune hepatitis, pruritus or cirrhosis) or biochemical markers were significantly associated with main SF-36 scores (physical and mental component summary). CONCLUSIONS: The study is the first to report on HRQOL in a well-characterized PBC patient population from Denmark. Danish patients with PBC had a significantly impaired HRQOL compared to the general population with the greatest impairment in mental aspects. Reductions in HRQOL were independent of clinical characteristics and biochemical markers why HRQOL should be considered as an independent outcome.