Autoimmune Hepatitis
How is autoimmune hepatitis
diagnosed?
The symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis
may be mild at first and are similar to the flu, so it may not be diagnosed
immediately. The doctor will perform a physical examination of the patient and
ask about the family medical history. The doctor may also order certain tests,
including:
A blood test to check for
inflammation in the liver, to evaluate the patient’s liver function, and to
check for antibodies associated with autoimmune hepatitis.
Ultrasound of the liver. Ultrasound
is a procedure that transmits high-frequency sound waves through body tissues.
The echoes are recorded and transformed into video or photographic images of
the inside of the body.
If necessary, the doctor may also
order a liver biopsy, the removal of a small piece of tissue from the liver to
be analyzed in the lab for disease.
How is autoimmune hepatitis treated?
Once autoimmune hepatitis is
diagnosed, a doctor will prescribe medications to stop the attack of the
antibodies and to heal the inflamed liver. The treatment for autoimmune
hepatitis is usually a high dose of a steroid (prednisone or prednisolone) to
suppress the immune system and keep it from attacking the liver. The doctor may
also prescribe azathioprine (Imuran®) to suppress the immune system.
As the condition improves, the
doctor may lower the dosage of the medications. If the condition does not
improve, other immune-suppressing medications may be needed.
Patients may need to be treated for
several years before the disease goes into remission (lessens or goes away), at
which point they may be taken off the medications. If they have a relapse
(return of the disease), they may need to take the medications for a long time.
If the medications do not adequately
treat the autoimmune hepatitis and the patient develops cirrhosis or liver
failure, he or she may need a liver transplant.
Can autoimmune hepatitis be
prevented?
Autoimmune hepatitis cannot be
prevented.
Who is at risk for autoimmune
hepatitis?
Autoimmune hepatitis affects one in
every 100,000 people. The disease is more common in women than in men, and
women are typically diagnosed in their 40s or 50s. Girls between two and 14
years old may also get the disease.
Those who may suffer from other
autoimmune conditions, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disease
and celiac disease, are also at risk to develop autoimmune hepatitis (just as
those with autoimmune hepatitis are also at higher risk to develop other
autoimmune diseases).
A person who has a family history of
autoimmune hepatitis also has a higher risk of developing the disease.