Autoimmune Hepatitis in Children

Abstract

Autoimmune hepatitis is characterized by inflammation in liver histology, circulating autoantibodies, and increased levels of immunglobulin G, in the absence of a known etiology. There are different clinical types described in children. Because of the presentation of autoimmune hepatitis with different clinical findings, establishment of diagnosis may be difficult. In the last two decades, a a 6-fold increase in the incidence of autoimmune hepatitis has been reported thanks to update of diagnostic approaches and the increase in technical possibilities. Autoimmune hepatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any liver disease not caused by viral and metabolic factors. Its association with other clinical conditions such as autoimmune thyroiditis, vitiligo, collagen and connective tissue disorders is already known. Although autoimmune hepatitis is a treatable disorder, it may cause cirrhosis and fulminant hepatitis that need liver transplantation without treatment. In this review, we aimed to present the clinical findings, diagnosis and treatment methods of autoimmune hepatittis in children in the light of current literature.