Bezafibrate improves itch in patients with cholestatic diseases

Reuters Health - 04/11/2020 - Patients with moderate to severe primary or secondary sclerosing cholangitis experienced greater reduction of pruritis with bezafibrate than with placebo, a small trial found. Researchers examined data on 44 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), 24 patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and 2 patients with secondary sclerosing cholangitis (SSC). Patients were randomly assigned to receive either bezafibrate 400 mg or a placebo once daily for 21 days; the primary endpoint was a 50% or greater reduction in pruritus based on a visual analogue scale. After three weeks, bezafibrate led to at least a 50% reduction in moderate to severe pruritus among 41% of patients with PSC and 55% of patients with PBC, compared with just 11% of those on placebo. "So-called PPAR agonists such as bezafibrate inhibit inflammatory activity and probably stimulate secretion into bile of protective phospholipids," said senior study au...

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Posted on 4 November, 202020 November, 2020