| Autoimmune Hepatitis is a disease in which | | | | autoimmune hepatitis from other forms of |
| the body's immune system attacks the liver | | | | hepatitis. |
| cells. Like Ulcerative Colitis, and other | | | | |
| autoimmune diseases, Autoimmune Hepatits | | | | Treatment for autoimmune hepatitis is most |
| causes inflammation of the affected organ. If | | | | effective when the disease is diagnosed |
| left untreated over time, this disease can | | | | early. Treatment consists primarily of |
| lead to cirrhosis pf the liver, and | | | | medications that suppress the immune system. |
| eventually liver failure. This chronic | | | | To treat the disease, the doctor may |
| condition is potentially fatal. Type 1 | | | | prescribe prednisone, which is a |
| Autoimmune Hepatitis, in, many cases, also | | | | corticosteroid. Prednisone, or other |
| occurs with other autoimmune disorders such | | | | corticosteroids may have some unpleasant side |
| as Ulcerative Colitis, type 1 diabetes, | | | | effects. These side effects increased acne, |
| autoimmune anemia, Graves' disease, | | | | filling or rounding out of the face, weight |
| Sjögren's syndrome, thyroiditis and | | | | gain, thinning of bones, thinning of hair and |
| proliferative glomerulonephritis. Type 2 | | | | skin, high blood pressure, diabetes, |
| Autoimmune Hepatitis is less common and | | | | cataracts, glaucoma, depression, anxiety and |
| mostly affects girls ages 2 to 14; however | | | | confusion. Athzathioprine (Imuran) is another |
| this type can also be found in adults. | | | | medication that is prescribed in the |
| | | | treatment of autoimmune hepatitis. Like |
| Symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis range from | | | | prednisone, this medicine is also used to |
| mild to severe. The symptoms may include | | | | suppress the immune system as well as helping |
| fatigue, abdominal discomfort, joint pain, | | | | lower the doses of prednisone needed while |
| skin rash, enlarged liver, jaundice, itching, | | | | reducing it's side effects. Once the disease |
| nausea, vomiting, dark urine, loss of | | | | is under control, the physician may prescribe |
| appetite, abnormal blood vessels on the skin, | | | | azathioprine, in addition to prednisone. |
| fatigue and pale or gray colored stools. | | | | Possible side effects of azathioprine may |
| Mental confusion and fluid in the abdomen can | | | | include lowered blood cell count, nausea and |
| sometimes be found in patients with advanced | | | | poor appetite. Rare side effects include an |
| stages of the disease. Please note that the | | | | allergic reaction, pancreatitis and liver |
| symptoms of viral hepatitis and other forms | | | | damage. The duration of treatment varies from |
| of hepatitis that are caused by a drug are | | | | individual to individual in that some may |
| very similar. With this in mind, other tests | | | | eventually stop treatment followed by close |
| may be needed by a physician to rule out | | | | monitoring or in some cases it may be |
| these other forms of disease, and to confirm | | | | necessary to contintue the treatments for |
| Autoimmune Hepatitis. | | | | life. However, for those whose treatment has |
| | | | been stopped, it is possible that the disease |
| Diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis is based on | | | | may return even worse than before, especially |
| symptoms as well as a liver biopsy and blood | | | | during the first few months after stopping |
| tests. For a liver biopsy, the patient goes | | | | treatment. Within 2 years of starting |
| to an outpatient surgical center or to a | | | | treatment, 7 out of 10 people will have the |
| hospital. The doctor will take a small sample | | | | disease go into remission. However, the |
| of liver tissue to examine under a | | | | symptoms will return within 3 years, so |
| microscope. This examination will accurately | | | | treatment for autoimmune hepatitis is an |
| diagnose autoimmune hepatitis and it's | | | | ongoing process. Other treatments are also |
| seriousness. While a routine blood test can | | | | possible for those patients who do not |
| reveal a patterns that are typical in a | | | | respond to standard immune therapy or who |
| hepatitis case, further blood test are needed | | | | have severe side effects. These include |
| to diagnose autoimmune hepatitis especially | | | | medicines such as tacrolimus, cyclosporine or |
| for autoantibodies. The pattern and the level | | | | mycophenylate mofetil, which are also |
| of antibodies in the blood help define if the | | | | immunosuppressive agents. Liver transplants |
| disease is a type 1 or type 2 classification. | | | | are needed for those with cirrhosis and or |
| These tests will also help distinguish | | | | end stage liver disease. |