Published online Sep 27, 2022. doi: 10.4254/wjh.v14.i9.1747
Peer-review started: April 21, 2022
First decision: May 31, 2022
Revised: June 13, 2022
Accepted: August 26, 2022
Article in press: August 26, 2022
Published online: September 27, 2022
Processing time: 154 Days and 13.6 Hours
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic progressive liver disease of unkn
To evaluate the relationship between alcohol intake, smoking and marijuana use with PBC development.
We conducted a prevalent case control study of 200 cases and 200 age (within a five year age band) and sex-matched controls, identified from the Victorian PBC prevalence study. We assessed lifetime alcohol intake and smoking behaviour (both tobacco and marijuana) prior to PBC onset and used conditional logistic regression for analyses.
Alcohol intake consistently showed a dose-dependent inverse association with case status, and this was most substantial for 21-30 years and 31-40 years (Ptrend < 0.001). Smoking was associated with PBC, with a stronger association with a longer duration of smoking [e.g., adjusted OR 2.27 (95%CI: 1.12- 4.62) for those who had smoked for 20-35 years]. There was no association between marijuana use and PBC.
Alcohol appears to have an inverse relationship with PBC. Smoking has been confirmed as an environmental risk factor for PBC. There was no association between marijuana use and PBC.
Core Tip: Given the paucity of knowledge regarding the aetiology of this disease and that there are likely to be other environmental and lifestyle factors yet to be identified that are related to disease development, we designed this study to address the association of primary biliary cholangitis and lifestyle factors. We have identified, from a case control study, that alcohol intake is associated with a decreased risk of developing primary biliary cholangitis. This is a significant finding in a disease for which very little is known regarding its aetiology.