Autoimmune Liver Disease in Children
January 2021
in “
Pediatric Oncall
”
TLDR Autoimmune hepatitis in children often affects girls and can be treated successfully with medication.
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) in children was characterized by inflammatory liver histology, specific autoantibodies, and elevated transaminases and serum immunoglobulins without a known cause. The study described two types of AIH, with a female preponderance, and reported on 6 patients (5 girls, 1 boy) with varied presentations. Five patients had Type-1 AIH and one had Type-2 AIH. Presentations included jaundice, recurrent jaundice, and failure to thrive with hepatosplenomegaly and alopecia partialis. Three patients with Type-1 AIH treated with oral prednisolone achieved remission within 6 months, while the remaining three patients refused treatment. Other liver diseases were ruled out.