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Review
. 2022 Mar 18;12(3):59-64.
doi: 10.5500/wjt.v12.i3.59.

Autoimmune hepatitis and liver transplantation: Indications, and recurrent and de novo autoimmune hepatitis

Murat Harputluoglu  1 , Ali Riza Caliskan  2 , Sami Akbulut  3
Affiliations
Review

Autoimmune hepatitis and liver transplantation: Indications, and recurrent and de novo autoimmune hepatitis

Murat Harputluoglu et al. World J Transplant. .

Abstract

Autoimmune hepatitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the liver that is characterized by circulating autoantibodies and elevated serum globulin levels. Liver transplantation may be required for patients with acute liver failure, decompensated cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Recurrence is defined as development of the same disease in the allograft following liver transplantation. Autoimmune hepatitis recurs in 36%-68% of the recipients 5 years after liver transplantation. De novo autoimmune hepatitis is the development of autoimmune hepatitis like clinical and laboratory characteristics in patients who had undergone liver transplantation for causes other than autoimmune hepatitis. Diagnostic work up for recurrent and de novo autoimmune hepatitis is similar to the diagnosis of the original disease, and it is usually difficult. Predniso(lo)ne with or without azathioprine is the main treatment for recurrent and de novo autoimmune hepatitis. Early diagnosis and treatment are vital for patient prognosis because de novo autoimmune hepatitis and recurrent autoimmune hepatitis cause graft loss and result in subsequent retransplantation if medical treatment fails.

Keywords: Autoimmune hepatitis; De novo autoimmune hepatitis; Liver transplantation; Recurrence autoimmune hepatitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Summary of the factors implicated in the development of recurrent autoimmune hepatitis after liver transplantation. HLA: Human leukocyte antigen.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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