Autoimmune Hepatitis: A Review of Current Diagnosis and Treatment

Table 3

Indications for treatment of autoimmune hepatitis.

	Absolute	Relative	None
Clinical	Incapacitating symptoms	Symptoms; (Fatigue, arthralgia, Jaundice, Abdominal Pain)	Asymptomatic
Laboratory	AST ≥ 10 fold ULN; AST ≥ 5 fold ULN and; HG ≥ 2 fold ULN	AST or HG less than absolute criteria	Normal or near normal AST and γ Globulins
Histology	Bridging necrosis or Multiacinar necrosis on Histology	Interface hepatitis	Inactive cirrhosis or mild portal hepatitis

∗Relative Contraindications to immunosuppressant therapy-Osteopenia, Emotional Lability, Hypertension, Diabetes, Mild Cytopenia
∗Absolute Contraindications to Azathioprine or Prednisone-Vertebral compression, Psychosis, Uncontrolled hypertension, Brittle Diabetes, Severe Cytopenia (WBC count < 2.5 × 109/L, Platelet count < 50 × 109/L), Complete deficiency of Thiopurine methyl-transferase enzyme, Known intolerance to prednisone or azathioprine
AST-Aspartate aminotransferase HG-Hypergammaglobulinemia ULN-Upper limit of normal.