What Is Primary Biliary Cirrhosis?
4. Symptoms:Itchy Skin
Most patients are asymptomatic during the early stages of the disease and almost a quarter of them are incidentally diagnosed during a routine blood test. However, there are a few symptoms that patients can exhibit from the start.
Itchiness or pruritus is often the first symptom that a lot of people with primary biliary cirrhosis will experience. In fact, roughly ten percent of patients exhibit severe itchiness in the skin. Contrary to common beliefs, this symptom is not related to the deposition of bile acids in the skin. The cause is unknown; however, it appears to be related to the increased production and effects of opioid peptides. Normally, these substances act on opioid receptors throughout the central nervous system to cause different effects, including pain relief, reduced anxiety, and enhanced mood (effects similar to those of opiate drugs like morphine). In this case, the production of these substances causes severe pruritus and seems to be proportionally related to bilirubin levels.
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