Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, previously called 'primary biliary cirrhosis') is an autoimmune cholestatic liver disease characterized by destruction of intrahepatic bile ducts and progression to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. In the pre-cirrhotic phase, fatigue and pruritus are the dominant symptoms. These symptoms reduce PBC patients' quality of life, but the extent to which they cause the patient to leave the work force and seek disability pension is unknown. The diagnosis of PBC is based on the presence of two of three major criteria; unexplained serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) >1.5 times upper normal limit for more than 24 weeks, presence of anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA), and compatible liver histology. Multiple models have been conducted to predict prognosis in patients with PBC. The Mayo risk score is the best validated and includes information on age, bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time and peripheral oedema. Other prognostic factors are pruritus and fatigue at diagnosis that predict the time to develop cirrhosis and its complications.