the autoimmune professor

After my last checkup with the rheumatologist, we noticed that all of a sudden my liver enzymes which had always been normal had tripled. The blood tests were done again just to be safe and we were getting the same result, so this resulted in me having to go see a hepatologist. Thankfully my GI doc is also a hepatologist, so I did not have to get ANOTHER doctor. The doctor ordered 7 vials of blood along with an ultrasound. My doctor told me that best case scenario is that the lupus is just causing a little inflammation in my liver, worst case scenario is that it is possible I have developed autoimmune hepatitis.

This has led me to wonder what autoimmune hepatitis is, so I figured this is a great time to cover this autoimmune disease.

Autoimmune hepatitis is a liver disease that is caused when the body’s immune system attacks the liver. The attack by the immune system can lead to damage to the liver by causing lasting inflammation or damage to the liver cells themselves. It is quite unclear why the body turns against itself similar to all of the other autoimmune diseases that are out there. The result is swelling, irritation, and damage to the liver. Symptoms include fatigue, joint pain, skin rash, belly discomfort, jaundice, an enlarged liver, and irregular blood vessels.

There are two main types of autoimmune hepatitis. Type 1 is the most common type and can occur in anyone at any age. Those with type 1 also tend to have other autoimmune diseases, with celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis being the most common. Type 2 autoimmune hepatitis is more common in children and young people though it is possible for adults to also get type 2.

Autoimmune hepatitis can be treated with medicines leading those with it to usually be able to live a normal lifespan; however, if autoimmune hepatitis goes untreated it can cause some serious complications with the most common being permanent scarring of the liver tissue which is known as cirrhosis. Most people tend to think that cirrhosis only happens in those that drink alcohol to excess, but it actually is when any type of scarring happens to the liver. Complications of cirrhosis include enlarged veins into the esophagus, fluid in the abdomen, liver failure, and even liver cancer.