[Autoimmune hepatitis: clinical forms and related factors to their response to treatment].

Chronic liver disease is a clinical entity of different origins. It is most frequently caused by viral infection and alcohol consumption. The entities of immunological origin are listed in third place including autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliar cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, as well as superposition syndromes. In Peru report of cases relating to autoimmune hepatitis are very few and its frequency is unknown. In 2002, autoimmune etiology represented 13% of all the cases admitted in the Hepathology Unit of Edgardo Rebagliati Martins National Hospital ("HNERM") for chronic hepatic disease. In this article, 30 cases of autoimmune hepatitis clinically and serologically diagnosed are reported. Biopsy was performed on 97% of the cases, of which 70% showed cirrhosis. The relationship F/M was 5/1, the average age was 48.59 years, and in 6.7% of the cases the initial picture was acute hepatic insufficiency. Antinuclear antibodies were found in 73.33%, smooth antimuscle antibodies in 43.33%, and antimitochondrial antibodies in 16.7%, with a coexistence of autoantibodies in 40%. The endoscopy performed revealed the presence of varices in 20% of the cases, but only one case of variceal hemorrhage. In most cases, therapy was initiated based on prednisone and azathioprine. Of 26 cases that were treated, 80% had an initial remission, 2 responded partially, and 3 did not respond. There were complications related to the treatment with immunosuppressants in 16.7% of the cases, and especially severe infections in 3 cases. In conclusion, autoimmune hepatitis is a substantial cause of chronic hepatic disease that has similar clinical characteristics to those reported in international medical journals. In most cases it responds to treatment with immunosuppressants. However, adequate follow-up is recommended to detect secondary complications in the treatment with immunosuppressants, especially in infections which represent a high risk of mortality in the immunosuppressed patient.