Autoimmune hepatitis - diagnosis and treatment methods

Autoimmune hepatitis - diagnosis and treatment methods

In autoimmune hepatitis, the immune system fights its own liver instead of bacteria and foreign pathogens.

During the pathological process, the body's immunity does not protect liver cells and aims to destroy this organ.

The exact cause is unknown, but according to doctors, both genetics and environmental factors contribute to the development of the disease.

Provided for diagnosis:

  • Blood analysis;
  • Liver biopsy.

Treatment

It doesn't matter which type of autoimmune hepatitis you have, the main goal of treatment is to stop the immune system from destroying the liver or to slow down the process. Appropriate medications are prescribed for this purpose - medication that suppresses the activity of the immune system.

If drug therapy fails, the patient faces the risk of cirrhosis or liver failure. In this diagnosis, the only solution is a liver transplant. During transplantation, the surgeon replaces the damaged liver with a healthy one - the patient receives a liver from a donor.

Source:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autoimmune-hepatitis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352158