Typical Age for Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC)
PBC is typically diagnosed in middle-aged women during the 5th and 6th decades of life, though up to 25% of cases are diagnosed during childbearing age. 1
Age at Diagnosis
The disease predominantly affects middle-aged women, with the typical age of diagnosis occurring between the 5th and 6th decades of life (ages 40-60 years). 1
Approximately 25% of PBC cases are diagnosed at childbearing age (typically defined as ages 15-44 years), indicating that while middle age is most common, younger presentations are not rare. 1
The disease is predominantly seen in middle-aged women according to multiple guideline sources, reinforcing this age demographic as the classic presentation. 2, 3
Gender Distribution
PBC overwhelmingly affects women, with the disease being far more common in females than males. 1, 2
While exact male-to-female ratios are not specified in the PBC literature provided, the disease is consistently described as predominantly affecting women. 3, 4
Clinical Context
Early diagnosis has become more common since 1990 with the widespread detection of antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs), which may identify patients at younger ages or earlier disease stages than historically observed. 4
Approximately 40% of patients are asymptomatic at presentation, meaning many cases are now diagnosed incidentally through routine laboratory testing rather than symptomatic presentation, potentially affecting the observed age distribution. 3
The disease can present across a wide age spectrum, but middle age remains the hallmark demographic for PBC diagnosis. 5, 4