View Main Condition: Hepatitis
Autoimmune hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. It occurs when immune cells mistake the liver's normal cells for harmful invaders and attack them.
Lupoid hepatitis; Chronic active hepatitis
This form of hepatitis is an autoimmune disease. The body's immune system cannot tell the difference between healthy body tissue and harmful, outside substances. The result is an immune response that destroys normal body tissues.
Liver inflammation, or hepatitis, may occur along with other autoimmune diseases. These include:
Autoimmune hepatitis may occur in family members of people with autoimmune diseases. There may be a genetic cause.
This disease is most common in young girls and women.
Symptoms may include:
Absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) may also be a symptom.
You may need prednisone or other corticosteroid medicines to help reduce the inflammation. Azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine are drugs used to treat other autoimmune disorders. They have also been shown to help people with autoimmune hepatitis.
Some people may need a liver transplant.
Giorgina Vergani-Mieli practices in London, United Kingdom. Vergani-Mieli is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Autoimmune Hepatitis. She is also highly rated in 10 other conditions, according to our data. Her top areas of expertise are Autoimmune Hepatitis, Hepatitis, Sclerosing Cholangitis, Cholangitis, and Liver Transplant.
Craig Lammert is a Gastroenterologist in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lammert has been practicing medicine for over 16 years and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Autoimmune Hepatitis. He is also highly rated in 12 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Autoimmune Hepatitis, Hepatitis, Primary Biliary Cholangitis, Liver Transplant, and Endoscopy. Lammert is currently accepting new patients.
Rodrigo Liberal practices in Porto, Portugal. Liberal is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Autoimmune Hepatitis. He is also highly rated in 13 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Autoimmune Hepatitis, Cholangitis, Hepatitis, Liver Transplant, and Endoscopy.
The outcome varies. Corticosteroid medicines may slow the progress of the disease. However, autoimmune hepatitis may advance to cirrhosis. This could require a liver transplant.
Complications may include:
Call your health care provider if you notice symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis.
In most cases, autoimmune hepatitis cannot be prevented. Knowing the risk factors may help you detect and treat the disease early.
Summary: Autoimmune liver diseases (AILD), which include Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) are a common etiological factor for chronic liver disease among adolescents. This is a longitudinal study to identify surrogate endpoints with an accurate predictive value for the progression of hepatobiliary damage in subjects with pediatric onset AILD. This study will involve colle...
Summary: Autoimmune liver diseases (AILD), which include Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) and Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) are a common etiological factors for chronic liver disease among adolescents. In all these conditions, autoimmune lymphocyte responses are thought to orchestrate inflammatory injury against hepatocytes (primarily in AIH) or cholangiocytes (in PSC). In this proposal we aim to evaluate...
Published Date: October 27, 2020
Published By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Czaja AJ. Autoimmune hepatitis.In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 90.
Pawlotsky J-M. Chronic viral and autoimmune hepatitis. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 140.