Recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of primary biliary cholangitis for 2026: Polish Expert Group on Primary Biliary Cholangitis
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Białystok, Poland
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland
Department of General, Oncological, Metabolic and Thoracic Surgery, Military Institute of Medicine, National Research Institute, Warszawa, Poland
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Medical University in Łódź, Poland
Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, Wrocław Medical University, Poland
Department of Infectious Diseases and Hepatology, USK-1, Medical University of Lublin, Poland
Department of Infectious Diseases, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland
Department of Infectious Diseases and Allergology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
Clin Exp HEPATOL 2026; 12, 4
The prevalence of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in Poland – 11.1 per 100,000 inhabitants – is approximately half the reported European prevalence. This low prevalence may reflect a lack of awareness regarding the disease, resulting in underdiagnosis. These recommendations are intended for both practicing physicians and health policy-making institutions, to standardize PBC diagnostic and therapeutic practices. The document outlines diagnostic criteria and treatment options, while also addressing management strategies for treatment failure. The recommendations are based on current international guidelines, expert knowledge, and experience. The Polish Expert Group on PBC was formed by members of the Polish Association for the Study of the Liver, the Polish Society of Epidemiologists and Infectious Disease Physicians, and the Central European Hepatologic Collaboration – bringing together specialists managing liver diseases. To reach a consensus, the Delphi method was employed. The final level of consensus among panel members for individual recommendations ranged from 96% to 100%.
Keywords
liver, primary biliary cholangitis, seladelpar, elafibranor, ursodeoxycholic acid
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