Autoimmune Hepatitis – Top USMLE Diseases

Liver function tests, also known as hepatic function panels, are one of the most commonly performed screening blood tests. Such tests are also used to detect, evaluate, and monitor acute and chronic liver diseases. Liver function tests assess the levels of various hepatic proteins and enzymes to determine the state of liver metabolic activity, homeostasis, bile metabolism, and protein synthesis capacity. The standard hepatic panel includes the levels of total protein, bilirubin, albumin, ALT, AST, AST/ALT ratio, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP).

Immunosuppressants are a class of drugs widely used in the management of autoimmune conditions and organ transplant rejection. The general effect is dampening of the immune response. There are multiple targets in the immune system, as well as varied mechanisms in inhibiting inappropriate immune activity. Biologic agents are medications derived from living organisms that target particular components of the immune system. The targets can be tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukins (ILs), or B- or T-cell activity. Calcineurin inhibitors halt the activity of calcineurin, a phosphatase involved in T-cell activation. Corticosteroids interfere with the cell cycle of inflammatory cells and modify the activity of other immune components. mTOR inhibitors are proliferation signal inhibitors, reducing immune-cell proliferation. Some immunosuppressants, such as cytotoxic agents, have antineoplastic activity; these are used in rheumatoid arthritis, as prophylaxis for transplant rejection, and for malignant diseases.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare form of chronic liver disease in which the immune system attacks the liver causing inflammation. It predominantly affects women. Clinical presentation ranges from asymptomatic cases to patients that present with symptoms of acute liver failure (jaundice, right upper quadrant pain). Because AIH has a 40% mortality in 6 months without treatment, early diagnosis and treatment are imperative. Diagnosis is established by detecting anti-smooth muscle antibodies and performing a confirmatory liver biopsy. Treatment includes corticosteroids and azathioprine. If treatment is initiated early in the disease course, the prognosis is favorable.