The autoimmune disease hepatitis arises when your immune system attacks the liver, leading to an inflammation. Though the causes of autoimmune hepatitis are unclear, there are a number of drugs and toxins which could trigger the disease in people who are at higher risk and susceptible to the disease. There are two kinds of autoimmune hepatitis: type 1 (classic) autoimmune hepatitis and type 2 autoimmune hepatitis. Leaving autoimmune hepatitis untreated can cause serious complications, including liver cirrhosis and ultimately liver failure. If detected early and treated, the disease can be controlled with the use of drugs that contain the immune system. After exhausting all treatment options, a liver transplant could be an alternative if the autoimmune hepatitis has progressed and if the system is not reacting positively to drug treatments.
Causes
Autoimmune hepatitis is caused when the immune system that normally attacks bacteria, other pathogens, and viruses begin to attack the liver instead. The liver being targeted could lead to serious harm to liver cells and chronic swelling of liver. The exact reason as to why the immune system turns against itself is uncertain, though researchers believe that autoimmune hepatitis could be due to various risk factors and their interaction with the body such as genetic predisposition, infections, or medicines.
Medications
There are certain immunosuppressants that are used to keep the autoimmune hepatitis in check. Never ever self-medicate and always consult your physician on which medicine is most suitable for your condition. Precautions need to be taken as these drugs do have a number of side effects as well.
Azathioprine: This immunosuppressant is occasionally utilized along with prednisone, another immunosuppressant. Taking both medicines could permit you to use smaller doses of prednisone and decrease the side effects. Side effects of this drug could include nausea and trouble in fighting infections. Rare side effects are cancer, liver damage, and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
Diet
Most patients can continue having a regular diet, though a diet with high calorific content is preferable. Eating certain kinds of foods could aid in decreasing the swelling in the liver caused by the autoimmune hepatitis. Vegetables that can be incorporated into your diet plan are artichokes, beets, and carrots as they contain antioxidant properties. Foods to avoid include alcohol, chemicals, food additives, processed and refined foods, sugars, raw fish, and shell fish.
Precautions to Take
As autoimmune hepatitis is a serious disease, if ignored, it is in your best interest to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Also, meet a trained clinical nutritionist who will be able to guide you on the pros and cons of different foods in your diet. Consult a dermatologist for suggestions regarding the darkening of skin.
References:
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001291/
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000245.htm
- http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/autoimmunehep/
answered by G R