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Breaking Down Autoimmune Hepatitis: All You Need To Know

Breaking Down Autoimmune Hepatitis: All You Need To Know
Understanding the ABCs Of Autoimmune Hepatitis

Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) is a rare long-term inflammation of the liver. Read on to know the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune hepatitis.

Written by Editorial Team |Updated : July 30, 2021 11:46 AM IST

Autoimmune Hepatitis (AIH) is a rare long-term inflammation of the liver, which occurs when your body's immune system turns against liver cells and causes severe liver cell damage and ends up with cirrhosis. The exact cause of autoimmune hepatitis is unclear, but genetic and environmental factors appear to interact over time in triggering the disease. It is a chronic condition that can result in cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, leading to liver failure.

Causes Of Autoimmune Hepatitis

AIH happens when your insusceptible framework confuses your liver cells with unfamiliar aggressors and makes antibodies assault them. Certain factors could be:

  • A family history of AIH
  • Although both genders are susceptible to this disease, it happens to be more common in young females.
  • Environmental triggers, such as prescribed medications like nitrofurantoin, minocycline, etc, and infections such as viral hepatitis, herpes simplex virus, and cytomegalovirus, have been associated with the precipitation of AIH.
  • People who already have an autoimmune disease such as celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis or hyperthyroidism, may be more likely to develop AIH.

Common Symptoms Of AIH One Should Look Out For

Some people are asymptomatic, while others may experience initial symptoms like:

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  • Nausea
  • Skin rashes
  • Fatigue
  • weight loss
  • Jaundice
  • Abnormal menstrual periods
  • Joint pains, Abdominal discomfort
  • Abnormal blood vessels on the skin (spider angiomas)
  • An enlarged liver (hepatomegaly) and/or spleen (splenomegaly).

If not diagnosed and treated timely, it can develop significant liver damage, complications of liver cirrhosis and liver failure.

AIH Diagnosis

AIH can be effortlessly mistaken for different ailments as the symptoms overlap with those of viral hepatitis. To make an appropriate analysis, different blood tests and liver biopsy to determine the type of AIH you have and/or rule out viral hepatitis. Tests and procedures used:

  • Blood test samples for antibodies can distinguish autoimmune hepatitis from viral hepatitis and other conditions with similar symptoms and help pinpoint the type of AIH you have.
  • To confirm the diagnosis and determine the degree and type of liver damage, a Liver biopsy is performed.

AIH Treatment

Those with AIH are usually started on corticosteroids which also serve as immunosuppressants or aggressive steroid regimens to directly treat liver inflammation. The initial treatment is usually prednisone used as induction therapy along with a second medication, azathioprine for long term maintenance. Treatment can slow down, stop, and sometimes reverse liver damage. A liver transplant is needed if a patient presents with liver failure. Timely therapy can save patients from complications and would do well in the long term.

(The article is contributed by Dr Prasanna K S, Consultant -Hepatology, Transplant physician Fortis Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road)