Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an inflammatory disease of unknown origin that is responsible for progressive liver necrosis and ultimately cirrhosis.
Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the characteristics of autoimmune hepatitis presenting in the pediatric age.
Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective study of all patients diagnosed with AIH in our hospital department during the last 10 years. Variables analyzed included age, sex, clinical presentation, hepatic function, immunoglobulins, autoimmunity markers, histology, treatment, need for transplant, and clinical evolution. According to the positive level of auto-antibodies, AIH patients were classified as type I AIH (ANA and/or smooth-muscle antibodies) and type II (anti-LKM-1).
Results: Seven patients were diagnosed in this period -5 girls (71.5%) and 2 boys (28.5%). Five patients presented with type-I serological markers, and two with type-II markers. Age range at diagnosis was from 21 months to 12 years. In the type-I group, 3 patients presented with acute hepatitis while 2 other patients were diagnosed from laboratory findings while asymptomatic. Elevated aminotransferase (10 times the normal level) was observed in 71.5%, and 85% had elevated immunoglobulins. Treatment with azathioprine and prednisone was started after diagnosis with an average time to remission of 14 months. Two patients relapsed following steroid withdrawal.
Conclusion: AIH can have different forms of clinical presentation, and is sometimes indistinguishable from viral hepatitis. AIH must be ruled out in patients presenting with concomitant elevation of aminotransferases and immunoglobulins. The commonly accepted treatment is a combination of azathioprine and corticosteroids. A high percentage of patients experience a relapse of disease after steroids are withdrawn. Therefore, some patients will need to stay on combined therapy with minimal doses of steroids.