Introduction: Studies on the epidemiology of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are mainly based on tertiary referral centers; and are retrospective case series susceptible to selection bias. The aim of this study was to estimate incidence; survival and cause of mortality of PSC in Italy; using population-based data. Methods: Data collected from the National Rare Diseases Registry (RNMR) and the National Mortality Database (NMD) were integrated and analyzed. Results: We identified 502 PSC incident cases. The crude incidence rate between 2012 and 2014 was 0.10 per 100,000 individuals. Sixty percent were male; mean age at disease onset and at diagnosis were 33 and 37 years; respectively; highlighting a mean diagnostic delay of 4 years. The rate of interregional mobility was 12%. Ten-year survival was 92%. In 32% of cases the cause of death was biliary-related; 12% died of biliary or gallbladder cancer. Conclusions: For rare diseases such as PSC; population-based cohort's studies are of paramount importance. Incidence rates of PSC in Italy are markedly lower and survival much longer than the ones reported from tertiary; single-centre series. Moreover; the diagnostic delay and the patient interregional mobility highlights the need for increasing awareness on the disease and for resource reallocation among Italian regions within the National Health Service.
Keywords: autoimmune liver disease; cholestatic liver disease; epidemiology; primary sclerosing cholangitis; rare diseases; registry.