Autoimmune Hepatitis and Fibrosis

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic immune-inflammatory disease of the liver, generally considered a rare condition. The clinical manifestation is extremely varied and can range from paucisymptomatic forms to severe hepatitis. Chronic liver damage causes activation of hepatic and inflammatory cells leading to inflammation and oxidative stress through the production of mediators. This results in increased collagen production and extracellular matrix deposition leading to fibrosis and even cirrhosis. The gold standard for the diagnosis of fibrosis is liver biopsy; however, there are serum biomarkers, scoring systems, and radiological methods useful for diagnosis and staging. The goal of AIH treatment is to suppress fibrotic and inflammatory activities in the liver to prevent disease progression and achieve complete remission. Therapy involves the use of classic steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants, but in recent years scientific research has focused on several new alternative drugs for AIH that will be discussed in the review.

Automated summary

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic immune-inflammatory disease of the liver that is generally considered rare. It has a wide range of clinical manifestations from mild symptoms to severe hepatitis. Chronic liver damage leads to inflammation and oxidative stress, resulting in fibrosis and even cirrhosis. Liver biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing fibrosis, but there are also serum biomarkers, scoring systems, and radiological methods available for diagnosis and staging. The goal of AIH treatment is to suppress fibrotic and inflammatory activities in the liver to prevent disease progression and achieve complete remission. Classic steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants are commonly used, but there are also new alternative drugs being researched.