What is Autoimmune Hepatitis?

What is Autoimmune Hepatitis?

• Autoimmune Hepatitis: Liver inflammation caused due to autoimmune processes where the body's immune system attacks the liver.
• Autoimmune Hepatitis: A chronic self-perpetuating hepatocellular INFLAMMATION of unknown cause, usually with HYPERGAMMAGLOBULINEMIA and serum AUTOANTIBODIES.
  Source - Diseases Database

Autoimmune Hepatitis is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Autoimmune Hepatitis, or a subtype of Autoimmune Hepatitis, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Name and Aliases of Autoimmune Hepatitis

Main name of condition: Autoimmune Hepatitis

autoimmune liver disease, Chronic active hepatitis, hepatitis, chronic autoimmune, Autoimmune chronic hepatitis, AIH

AIH, Autoimmune chronic hepatitis
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Types of Autoimmune Hepatitis:

Subtypes of Autoimmune Hepatitis: Type I Autoimmune Hepatitis, Type II Autoimmune Hepatitis
Parent types of Autoimmune Hepatitis: Autoimmune diseases, Liver conditions, Hepatitis, Chronic liver disease

Organs Affected by Autoimmune Hepatitis:

liver

How many people get Autoimmune Hepatitis?

Prevalance of Autoimmune Hepatitis: 1,156 people in the USA 1996 ¹
Prevalance Rate of Autoimmune Hepatitis: approx 1 in 235,294 or 0.00% or 1,156 people in USA [about data]

Who gets Autoimmune Hepatitis?

Patient Profile for Autoimmune Hepatitis: Most aged 15-40
Profile for Autoimmune Hepatitis: About 70 percent of those with autoimmune hepatitis are women, most between the ages of 15 and 40. (Source: excerpt from Autoimmune Hepatitis: NIDDK)
Gender Profile for Autoimmune Hepatitis: Women 8:1 (NWHIC); about 70% women.

How serious is Autoimmune Hepatitis?

Prognosis of Autoimmune Hepatitis: In about 7 out of 10 people, the disease goes into remission, with a lessening of severity of symptoms, within 2 years of starting treatment. A portion of persons with a remission will see the disease return within 3 years, so treatment may be necessary on and off for years, if not for life. (Source: excerpt from Autoimmune Hepatitis: NIDDK)
Complications of Autoimmune Hepatitis: see complications of Autoimmune Hepatitis

What causes Autoimmune Hepatitis?

Class of Condition for Autoimmune Hepatitis: autoimmune
Causes of Autoimmune Hepatitis: see causes of Autoimmune Hepatitis

Can anyone else get Autoimmune Hepatitis?

Contagion of autoimmunity: generally not; see details in contagion of autoimmune diseases.

How is it treated?

Treatments for Autoimmune Hepatitis: see treatments for Autoimmune Hepatitis
Research for Autoimmune Hepatitis: see research for Autoimmune Hepatitis