Editorial
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 7, 2009; 15(9): 1035-1041
Published online Mar 7, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.1035
Update on autoimmune hepatitis
Andreas Teufel, Peter R Galle, Stephan Kanzler
Andreas Teufel, Peter R Galle, Department of Medicine I, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz 55099, Germany
Stephan Kanzler, Depatment of Medicine II, Leopoldina Hospital, Schweinfurt 97422, Germany
Author contributions: Teufel A, Galle PR, and Kanzler S all contributed equally to literature search and manuscript preparation.
Correspondence to: Stephan Kanzler, MD, Depatment of Medicine II, Leopoldina Hospital, Gustav Adolf Strasse 8, Schweinfurt 97422, Germany. skanzler@leopoldina.de
Telephone: +49-9721-7302482
Fax: +49-9721-7302484
Received: August 7, 2008
Revised: December 7, 2008
Accepted: December 14, 2008
Published online: March 7, 2009
Abstract

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a necroinflammatory liver disease of unknown etiology that occurs in children and adults of all ages. Characteristics are its autoimmune features, hyperglobulinemia (IgG), and the presence of circulating autoantibodies, as well as a response to immunosuppressant drugs. Current treatment consists of prednisone and azathioprine and in most patients this disease has become very treatable. Over the past 2 years, a couple of new insights into the genetic aspects, clinical course and treatment of AIH have been reported, which will be the focus of this review. In particular, we concentrate on genome-wide microsatellite analysis, a novel mouse model of AIH, the evaluation of a large AIH cohort for overlap syndromes, suggested novel criteria for the diagnosis of AIH, and the latest studies on treatment of AIH with budenoside and mycophenolate mofetil.

Keywords: Autoimmune hepatitis; Autoimmune liver disease; Budesonide; Genetics; Mycophenolate mofetil; Overlap syndromes