Autoimmune hepatitis
Overview
Inflammation of the liver resulting from the immune system attacking liver cells. There are two types: Type 1 autoimmune hepatitis is the most common form, which is associated with other autoimmune diseases and can occur at any age. Type 2 autoimmune hepatitis is less common and affects younger children between the age of 2 and 14.
Common Symptoms
Fatigue, abdominal discomfort, jaundice, enlarged liver, spider angiomas (abnormal blood vessels on the skin), skin rashes, joint pains, light-colored stools, and loss of menstrual periods.
Coexisting Diseases and Conditions
Risk Factors and Prevalence
Autoimmune hepatitis is more common in females than males, and the type 2 form of the disease occurs predominantly in younger females. A history of other autoimmune diseases also increases the risk.
Recent Research
- A Diagnostic Challenge: Uncovering Autoimmune Hepatitis Masked by Choledocholithiasis and Unsupervised Ivermectin Use (2026)
- Noninvasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and management of autoimmune hepatitis (2022)
- Recent advances in the diagnosis and management of autoimmune hepatitis (2022)
- SARS-CoV-2 vaccination response in patients with autoimmune hepatitis and autoimmune cholestatic liver disease (2022)
- Autoimmune hepatitis following COVID-19 vaccination: Clinical characteristics of 35 reported cases (2023)
- Incorporating the Molecular Mimicry of Environmental Antigens into the Causality of Autoimmune Hepatitis (2023)
Read More
Aashika’s Story: Finding Hope and Gratitude in the Journey to Healing
Aashika recounts the ups and downs of being suddenly diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis, including the physical, mental, and emotional tolls, and finding hope, gratitude, and a new perspective on health.
Sources
- Sources
Autoimmune Hepatitis. (n.d.). NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders). Retrieved from https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/autoimmune-hepatitis/
Guo, L., Zhou, L., Zhang, N., Deng, B., & Wang, B. (2017). Extrahepatic Autoimmune Diseases in Patients with Autoimmune Liver Diseases: A Phenomenon Neglected by Gastroenterologists. Gastroenterology Research and Practice, 2017, 2376231. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/2376231
Guy, J., & Peters, M. G. (2013). Liver Disease in Women: The Influence of Gender on Epidemiology, Natural History, and Patient Outcomes. Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 9(10), 633–639. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3992057/
Lammert, C. (2019). Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Autoimmune Hepatitis. Clinical Liver Disease, 14(1), 29–32. https://doi.org/10.1002/cld.798