Serum autotaxin is associated with significant impairment of health related quality of life, biochemical and clinical and parameters in patients with PBC

Background & Aims: Autotaxin (ATX) is involved in the synthesis of lysophoshatidic acid (LPA), a robust neuronal activator. Both parameters were recently linked to pruritus in cholestasis (Hepatology 2012;56:1391 – 1400), and it was hypothesized that ATX inhibitors could be useful for the treatment of cholestatic itch. The potential association between ATX and other relevant factors related to chronic cholestatic conditions has not been studied yet. Methods: We recruited a cohort of 116 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC; M/F-9/107; mean age 58 ± 12 years). A total of 52 patients presented with cirrhos…