The Portuguese Association for the Study of the Liver (APEF) is promoting an awareness campaign for Primary Biliary Cholangitis, a chronic liver disease. The campaign aims to alert the population to the signs of this disease, which often goes unnoticed for long periods.
The most common symptoms of Primary Biliary Cholangitis include excessive fatigue and itching (pruritus), manifestations that are often ignored or attributed to other causes. These signs can appear subtly, making diagnosis a challenge.
The disease predominantly affects women, being considered an autoimmune condition that progressively attacks the bile ducts of the liver. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, it can lead to serious liver complications.
The APEF initiative aims to inform the population about this silent pathology, encouraging people to seek medical attention when symptoms persist, in order to allow for early diagnosis and a better prognosis.
