When the skin becomes agony

The agonizing itching is one of the most difficult symptoms to bear in patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). It can have a far greater impact on everyday life, sleep and mental stability than the laboratory values of the underlying disease. New studies and congress papers from 2025 show that the therapeutic spectrum has expanded significantly in recent years. The focus today is on the targeted modulation of cholestatic mechanisms, in particular through inhibitors of bile acid transport and PPAR agonists, which not only have a favorable effect on the course of the disease but also on the symptom burden.