Hepatitis

Living With Autoimmune Hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks liver cells, causing inflammation. If not stopped, inflammation can lead to cirrhosis or scarring and hardening of the liver and eventually liver failure. In this article, we'll examine how this disease occurs and how the medical community treats it. Largest STD Dating Service - free STD ads, h. message boards, international search and instant messenger for those who living with Herpes, HIV/AIDS, Thrush or other STDs.

What causes the body's own immune system to attack the liver is not yet known. It appears that certain types of white blood cells misread liver cells as foreign substances and start attacking these cells. The type of damage that follows is known as chronic hepatitis. A number of other conditions can cause identical patterns of liver damage. These include viruses, such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C, certain types of drugs, and an overload of certain metals, such as copper and iron in the liver. There are also much rarer causes of chronic active hepatitis.

Hepatitis

Fatigue is probably the most common symptom of autoimmune hepatitis. Other symptoms include an enlarged liver, jaundice, itching, skin rashes, joint pain, abdominal discomfort, digestive discomfort, dark urine and pale or gray-colored stools. People in advanced stages of the disease are more likely to have symptoms related to chronic liver disease, such as fluid in the abdomen—also called ascites—and mental confusion. Women may experience disruption in their menstrual cycle. Symptoms of liver disease can range from mild to severe. Because severe viral hepatitis or hepatitis caused by a drug—for example, certain antibiotics—have the same symptoms as this disease, tests may be needed for an exact diagnosis.

Although the cause isn't clear, the treatment seems to be effective. Some patients with very mild or inactive autoimmune hepatitis may not need any type of active treatment. When active drug treatment is needed, corticosteroids are the treatment of first choice. They are completely different from anabolic steroids used to build muscle mass. Corticosteroids, such as prednisone, are potent anti-inflammatory drugs that will reduce inflammation in all sites, including the liver. Approximately 90% of patients require some form of treatment to maintain remission after the steroids have reduced the initial inflammation. About 10% do not require any maintenance therapy and remain in remission with no symptoms and no active inflammation in the liver, for many years. Due to the variable intensity of the disease, even with maintenance treatment, patients may suffer from relapses of inflammation periodically. Such relapses are usually treated by a temporary course of steroids.

Any type of liver injury or disease is very serious so early diagnosis and treatment is essential. With proper treatment, autoimmune hepatitis can usually be controlled. In fact, studies show that sustained response to treatment stops the disease from getting worse and may reverse some of the damage. Some people with mild forms of the disease may not need to take medication. Doctors assess each patient individually to determine whether those with mild cases should undergo treatment.

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