Autoimmune hepatitis in children: a report of two cases

Basir N, Yew TG, Telisinghe PU, Chong VH
Correspondence: Dr Vui Heng Chong, chongvuih@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT
In regions where chronic hepatitis B infections are still endemic, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is considered rare, and it is even rarer in the paediatric population. AIH in the paediatric population is categorised into type 1 and 2, which are differentiated by their autoantibody profiles. We present two cases of paediatric type 1 AIH. Two girls aged 11 and 15 years were referred to our hospital with chronic liver disease, one of whom had decompensated disease. Both patients were started on prednisolone. The patient with advanced liver disease died from complications due to infections that included the pandemic novel influenza A H1N1, while the other patient responded to treatment. These two cases serve to highlight the importance of considering AIH in any paediatric patient presenting with features of chronic liver disease, as the response to treatment is good.

Keywords: autoantibodies, autoimmune hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, complications, human leukocyte antigens
Singapore Med J 2011; 52(2): e27-e30