A case of primary biliary cirrhosis associated with autoimmune primary hypothyroidism

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is an idiopathic chronic non-suppurative destructive inflammation of intrahepatic bile ducts and rare in Korea. Although its pathogenesis is not fully understood, immunologic dysregulation is suspected because of presence of antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) and association with other autoimmune disease, such as autoimmune thyroid disease. Evidence of hypothyroidism in PBC is relatively common in western countries, however it has not been reported in Korea. And it is uncertain whether the reason is ethnic factor or unawareness of the disease. Recently, we experienced a 50-year-old women with hypothyroidism who had elevated alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. This is the first case of hypothyroidism associated with PBC in Korea.