Pbc and Ama—What Is the Connection?

Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) is very closely associated with the presence of antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA); indeed, the presence of these antibodies is virtually disease specific. Despite the major advances made during the last decade in identifying the antigens with which these antibodies react, the reason for the close association remains uncertain. In this review, we examine the clinical correlates of AMA with features of PBC and discuss the possible implications of the association.