Characteristics of autoimmune hepatitis in Taiwan: the 11 years' experiences of a medical center.

Background: Unlike in Western countries, autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an infrequent diagnosis in Taiwan. The clinical characteristics of AIH in this area are unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical features of AIH in Taiwan.

Methods: All the medical records of in-patients with the diagnosis of chronic hepatitis in our hospital from 1990 to 2001 were reviewed for the possibility of AIH. The clinical features, biochemical data, immunological presentations, treatments and survival of the patients were evaluated.

Results: Twenty-two patients (15 females and 7 males) were diagnosed as having AIH within 11 years. The median age at onset was 64 years (range: 17-77 years). Compared with female patients, male patients had older age (p = 0.001), shorter duration from initial presentation of symptoms to diagnosis (p = 0.015), lower serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALK-P, p = 0.022) and albumin (p = 0.043). Five (23%) patients presented with cirrhosis upon diagnosis. Compared with non-cirrhotic patients, cirrhotic patients had lower serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.002), aspartate aminotransferase (p = 0.015), gamma-glutamyl transferase (G-GT, p = 0.002), albumin (p = 0.14), white cell counts (p = 0.009) and platelet counts (p = 0.002). Thirteen (59%) patients had concomitant clinico-pathological features of cholestatic liver disease (ALK-P > or = 2 times of upper normal limit or pathologic evidence of cholangiopathy). They had higher serum levels of ALK-P (p < 0.001) and G-GT (p = 0.004) than 9 non-cholestatic patients. There were no significant differences in survival between these groups. The prescribed initial and maintained prednisolone dosages for our patients to control disease activity were 19 +/- 15 mg and 8 +/- 1 mg, respectively, which were lower than those recommended in Western countries. The remission rate to steroid treatment and relapse rate after discontinuing corticosteroids were 87.5% and 50%, respectively.

Conclusions: Compared with Western AIH patients, the AIH patients in Taiwan are older and more likely to develop cholestasis, and need a relatively lower dose of steroid for treatment. Owing to one quarter of the patients already having liver cirrhosis on diagnosis, AIH should be suspected in any Taiwanese patient with cryptogenic hepatitis or cirrhosis.