Abstract: Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) combined with calcitriol in treatment of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Methods m 100 patients with PBC were randomly divided into observation and control group with 50 cases in each group. The patients in the control group was treated with UDCA, while those in the observation group was treated with UDCA combined with calcitriol capsules for one year. Result At the end of one year treatment, the response rate in the observation was 72.0%, much higher than 52.0% (P<0.05) in the control; serum ALP level was (132.6±37.9)U/L, significantly lower than 【(151.6±47.1)U/L, P＜0.05】, serum GGT level was (162.8±17.8) U/L, much lower than 【(189.7±18.0) U/L, P＜0.05】, serum TBA level was (12.0±1.7)μmol/L, significantly lower than 【(16.2±2.1)μmol/L, P＜0.05 】 in the control; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 level was (19.0±4.5)ng/mL, significantly higher than 【(11.2±3.8)ng/mL, P＜0.05】, the percentage of peripheral blood CD4⁺ cells was (3.4±1.1)%, significantly higher than 【(3.0±0.8)%, P＜0.05】, that of Th17 cells was (1.5±0.8)%, much lower than 【(1.9±1.0)%, P＜0.05】 in the control; there were significant differences as respect to serum diamine oxidase [(3.3±1.1) U/mL vs. (4.0±1.7)U/mL], lactic acid [(2.1±1.6)mmol/L vs. (2.5±2.0)mmol/L] and endotoxin [(0.4±0.1)EU/mL vs. (0.6±0.2)EU/mL] levels in the two groups(all P＜0.05). Conclusion The application of UDCA and calcitriol combination might greatly improve liver functions in PBC patients.

Key words: Primary biliary cirrhosis, Ursodeoxycholic acid, Calcitriol, Tlymphocyte subsets, Therapy