Autoimmune Hepatitis

Definition & Facts

Autoimmune hepatitis is a chronic disease in which your body’s immune system attacks the liver and causes inflammation and liver damage. Without treatment, autoimmune hepatitis may get worse and lead to complications, such as cirrhosis.

Symptoms & Causes

Common symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis include feeling tired, pain in your joints, nausea, poor appetite, pain over your liver, and jaundice. Some people have no symptoms at the time of diagnosis, but they may develop symptoms later. Experts aren’t sure what causes autoimmune hepatitis.

Diagnosis

Doctors diagnose autoimmune hepatitis based on your medical history, a physical exam, blood tests, imaging tests, and liver biopsy. Blood tests can show signs of autoimmune hepatitis or other liver diseases. A doctor can use a liver biopsy to look for the features of autoimmune hepatitis and to check for cirrhosis.

Treatment

Doctors treat autoimmune hepatitis with medicines that suppress your immune system, most often corticosteroids—prednisone or prednisolone—with or without azathioprine. These medicines may cause side effects. If autoimmune hepatitis leads to liver failure or liver cancer, you may need a liver transplant.

Eating, Diet, & Nutrition

If autoimmune hepatitis leads to cirrhosis, you should eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Researchers have not found that eating, diet, and nutrition play a role in causing or preventing autoimmune hepatitis.

Source: NIH/NIDDK

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/liver-disease/autoimmune-hepatitis

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of consultation with your physician.