Autoimmune Liver Diseases

Liver diseases of various etiologies can lead to liver cirrhosis and the need for a liver transplant but are often characterized by unspecific symptoms, such as jaundice, chronic fatigue, or abdominal pain.^1,2 Although rare, autoimmune liver diseases represent a major cause of liver cirrhosis, and their differential diagnosis from non-autoimmune liver diseases (such as viral hepatitis) enables the clinician to make informed treatment decisions and to improve a patient’s quality of life.^1-5

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are the most clinically important autoimmune liver diseases.^1,2 PBC is characterized by a chronic inflammation of the small bile ducts and impaired bile formation that can lead to liver cirrhosis and the need of a liver transplant.^2,4 In case of AIH, an inflammation of the hepatocytes can lead to liver failure.^1,6

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References

European Association for the Study of the L. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: Autoimmune hepatitis. J Hepatol. 2015;63(4):971-1004.
European Association for the Study of the Liver. Electronic address eee, European Association for the Study of the L. EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: The diagnosis and management of patients with primary biliary cholangitis. J Hepatol. 2017;67(1):145-72.
Poupon R. Primary biliary cirrhosis: a 2010 update. J Hepatol. 2010;52(5):745-58.
Sebode M, Weiler-Normann C, Liwinski T, Schramm C. Autoantibodies in Autoimmune Liver Disease-Clinical and Diagnostic Relevance. Front Immunol. 2018;9:609.
Muratori P, Lenzi M, Cassani F, Lalanne C, Muratori L. Diagnostic approach to autoimmune hepatitis. Expert Rev Clin Immunol. 2017;13(8):769-79.
Francque S, Vonghia L, Ramon A, Michielsen P. Epidemiology and treatment of autoimmune hepatitis. Hepat Med. 2012;4:1-10.
Reshetnyak VI. Primary biliary cirrhosis: Clinical and laboratory criteria for its diagnosis. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(25):7683-708.