Treatment for autoimmune hepatitis includes medication to suppress, or slow down, an overactive immune system. Treatment may also include a liver transplant.
                
Treatment works best when autoimmune hepatitis is diagnosed early. People with autoimmune hepatitis generally respond to standard treatment and the disease can be controlled in most cases. Long-term response to treatment can stop the disease from getting worse and may even reverse some damage to the liver.
                
Medications
                
People with autoimmune hepatitis who have no symptoms or a mild form of the disease may or may not need to take medication. A health care provider will determine if a person needs treatment. In some people with mild autoimmune hepatitis, the disease may go into remission. Remission is a period when a person is symptom-free and blood tests and liver biopsy show improvement in liver function.
                
Corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are medications that decrease swelling and reduce the activity of the immune system. Health care providers treat both types of autoimmune hepatitis with a daily dose of a corticosteroid called prednisone. Treatment may begin with a high dose that is gradually lowered as the disease is controlled. The treatment goal is to find the lowest possible dose that helps control the disease.
                
Side effects of prednisone may include
                
- weight gain  - weakness of the bones, called osteoporosis or osteomalacia  - thinning of the hair and skin  - acne  - diabetes  - high blood pressure  - cataracts, a clouding in the lens of the eyes  - glaucoma, elevated pressure in the eyes  - anxiety and confusion
                
A health care provider will closely monitor and manage any side effects that may occur, as high doses of prednisone are often prescribed to treat autoimmune hepatitis.
                
Immune system suppressors. Medications that suppress the immune system prevent the body from making autoantibodies and block the immune reaction that contributes to inflammation. In most cases, health care providers use azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran) in conjunction with prednisone to treat autoimmune hepatitis. When using azathioprine, a health care provider can use a lower dose of prednisone, which may reduce prednisone's side effects.
                
Side effects of azathioprine include
                
- low white blood cell count  - nausea  - vomiting  - skin rash  - liver damage  - pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas
                
Azathioprine is an immune system suppressor, so people taking the medication should undergo routine blood tests to monitor their white blood cell counts. A low white blood cell count can lead to bone marrow failure. Bone marrow is the tissue found inside bones that produces new blood cells, including platelets. A health care provider will also check the platelet count when blood tests are done.
                
A person may need to discontinue prednisone or azathioprine if they cause severe side effects. The risk of side effects is higher in people who also have cirrhosis.
                
A health care provider may gradually reduce the dose of medication in people who show improvement, although the symptoms can return. When a person discontinues treatment, a health care provider will perform routine blood tests and carefully monitor the person's condition for a return of symptoms. Treatment with low doses of prednisone or azathioprine may be necessary on and off for many years.
                
People who do not respond to standard immune therapy or who have severe side effects from the medications may benefit from other immunosuppressive agents such as mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), cyclosporine, or tacrolimus (Hecoria, Prograf).
                
Medications that suppress the immune system may lead to various forms of cancer. People on low doses of azathioprine for long periods of time are at slight risk of developing cancer.
                
Liver Transplant
                
In some people, autoimmune hepatitis progresses to cirrhosis and end-stage liver failure, and a liver transplant may be necessary. Symptoms of cirrhosis and liver failure include the symptoms of autoimmune hepatitis and
                
- generalized itching  - a longer-than-usual amount of time for bleeding to stop  - easy bruising  - a swollen stomach or swollen ankles  - spiderlike blood vessels, called spider angiomas, that develop on the skin  - abdominal bloating due to an enlarged liver  - fluid in the abdomenalso called ascites  - forgetfulness or confusion
                
Liver transplant is surgery to remove a diseased or an injured liver and replace it with a healthy one from another person, called a donor. A team of surgeons performs a liver transplant in a hospital. When possible, the patient fasts for 8 hours before the surgery. The patient stays in the hospital about 1 to 2 weeks to be sure the transplanted liver is functioning properly. The health care provider will monitor the patient for bleeding, infections, and signs of liver rejection. The patient will take prescription medications long term to prevent infections and rejection. Liver transplant surgery for autoimmune hepatitis is successful in most cases.
                
More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Liver Transplantation.