Characteristic geoepidemiology of primary biliary cholangitis in Taiwan: A nationwide population‐based study

Aim Data on the geoepidemiology and outcomes of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in Asia are limited; thus, we aimed to collect and assess this information for Taiwan. Methods A nationwide population‐based cohort study was undertaken using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Primary biliary cholangitis was defined by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 571.6 based on alkaline phosphatase and antimitochondrial antibody measurements and ursodeoxycholic acid treatment. Results During 2002–2015, 2737 patients (2137 female patients; mean age, 57.78 years) had PBC. The average annual age‐ and sex‐adjusted prevalence and incidence rates of PBC were 8.092/105 and 1.148/105, respectively. Prevalent cases peaked in patients aged 50–59 years; the female‐to‐male ratio was 4.21. Annual prevalence rates increased with time (average percentage change, 12.03%; p