Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40977287›Full record

ArticleAlimentary pharmacology & therapeutics2026

Non-Response to Obeticholic Acid Is Associated With Heightened Risks of Developing Clinical Events in Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Nadir Abbas, Rachel Smith, Ellina Lytvyak, Miki Scaravaglio, Neil Halliday, Amal Almahroos, Nadia Eden, Diane Lloyd-Madden, Sanchit Sharma, James Ferguson and 9 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
In one paragraph

Article in Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Current Treatment of Primary Biliary Cholangitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: A Comprehensive Review.The Turkish journal of gastroenterology : the official journal of Turkish Society of Gastroenterology · 2026
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Nadir AbbasNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research, University of Birmingham, UK.
Rachel SmithAcademic Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Ellina LytvyakDivision of Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Miki ScaravaglioDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
Neil HallidayInstitute of Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, London, UK.
Amal AlmahroosLiver Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham Queen Elizabeth, Birmingham, UK.
Nadia EdenInstitute of Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, London, UK.
Diane Lloyd-MaddenLiver Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham Queen Elizabeth, Birmingham, UK.
Sanchit SharmaLiver Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham Queen Elizabeth, Birmingham, UK.
James FergusonNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research, University of Birmingham, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2529-0409
Jessica K DysonDepartment of Hepatology, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6733-5225
Douglas ThorburnInstitute of Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, London, UK.
David JonesDepartment of Hepatology, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle, UK.
Aldo J Montano-LozaDivision of Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2511-7980
Marco CarboneDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1445-0443
Pietro InvernizziDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3262-1998
George MellsAcademic Department of Medical Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
Emma L CulverTranslational Gastroenterology and Liver Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Palak J TrivediNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Centre for Liver and Gastrointestinal Research, University of Birmingham, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4009-8087

Funding

Dr. Falk PharmaNational Institute for Health and Care Research
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveBiochemical non-response to ursodeoxycholic acid, as a first-line therapy, is associated with a heightened risk of clinical events in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Herein, we determine whether biochemical non-response to second-line therapy in obeticholic acid (OCA) is also predictive of long-term event-free survival.

designData were collected from patients who initiated OCA at large, high-volume centres in the UK, Italy, and Canada between August 2017 and 2019, with follow-up continuing until June 2024. Biochemical non-response was defined by POISE criteria. Clinical events were defined as hepatic decompensation, referral for transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma, or death.

resultsOur cohort consisted of 336 patients (29% with cirrhosis), of whom n = 150 (45%) discontinued OCA over 48 months. Over 851 patient-years of OCA use, without the addition of another PBC therapy, n = 230, n = 192, n = 158 and n = 150 patients completed 12, 24, 36 and 48 months follow-up, respectively. Of this cohort, 37%, 48%, 63% and 55% attained biochemical response, with 7%, 14%, 25% and 19% normalising ALP (p < 0.01; all comparisons vs. baseline). Over 4 years, 64 patients experienced a clinical event. Twelve-month biochemical non-response associated with a heightened risk of clinical events (hazard ratio [HR]: 4.50; 95% CI: 1.74-20.23), as did cirrhosis (HR: 20.24, 10.15-40.32), hyperbilirubinaemia (HR: 2.55, 1.71-3.76), hypoalbuminaemia (HR: 0.92, 0.90-0.96) and thrombocytopenia (HR: 0.99, 0.98-0.99). The prognostic utility of biochemical non-response (HR: 3.29, 1.72-14.96) and cirrhosis (HR: 19.67, 5.09-76.08) persisted on multivariable analyses.

conclusionBiochemical response stratifies risk of clinical events in PBC patients under OCA treatment. Whilst response rates increase over time, discontinuation rates underscore the need for newer treatment paradigms.

Indexed as

Chenodeoxycholic AcidCholagogues and CholereticsLiver Cirrhosis, BiliaryAgedCanadaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedTreatment OutcomeUrsodeoxycholic AcidChenodeoxycholic AcidCholagogues and Cholereticsobeticholic acidUrsodeoxycholic Acidbezafibratecirrhosisfibric acidobeticholic acid

Identifiers

PMID40977287
PMCPMC12854645

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.