Autoimmune hepatitis in Iranian children.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical and para-clinical presentation, including autoantibody pattern and response to treatment in Iranian children with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). METHODS Data of 60 children presenting with AIH (56 girls) were analyzed retrospectively for clinical, serological and histological profile. RESULTS Clinical findings included jaundice (67%),hepatomegaly (50%) and ascites (30%). Forty children (38 girls) had type I AIH and 14 (12 girls) had type II AIH. Liver histology was comparable in the two groups and cirrhosis on initial biopsy was equally frequent in Types I and II AIH (63% vs 34%; p=ns). CONCLUSION Our study describes the presentation and clinical course of Iranian children with AIH. Treatment with corticosteroids and/or azathioprine induces remission of autoimmune hepatitis clinically, biochemically as well as histologically.