Clinical Profile and Outcome of Juvenile Autoimmune Hepatitis in Iraqi Children Ibraheem Mohammad Fadhil* Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children Welfare Teaching Hospital (CWTH), Medical City Complex, P.O. BOX 61023, 12114, Baghdad, Iraq *Corresponding Author: Mohammad Fadhil Ibraheem Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children welfare teaching hospital (CWTH), medical city complex, P.O. BOX 61023, 12114 Baghdad, Iraq, e-mail: mohammedalqaisi@yahoo.com, Tel: +9647702546508
Online published on 23 December, 2019. Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the clinical, laboratory and histopathological characteristics and treatment outcomes in children and adolescents with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Method The present research is a descriptive study consisting of 19 children and adolescents with autoimmune hepatitis who receive care at the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Department of Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Baghdad/Iraq from January 2014 to December 2017. Results Nineteen children and adolescent were diagnosed with juvenile autoimmune hepatitis during the study period. The presentation was acute in 10 patients (52.6%) and 9 (47.4%) had a chronic type. 15 (78.9%) of them with Type I and 4(21.1%) with Type II. The commonest presenting features were jaundice, abdominal distension, edema, fatigue, and hepatosplenomegaly. The way of diagnosis depends onan original scoring system of the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group (IAIHG) compared to simplified scoring system definite AIH was (37.0% versus 79.0% respectively), and probable diagnosis of AIH was (63.0% versus 31.0% respectively). More than two third of patients were treated with prednisone and azathioprine 13(68.5%), the outcome revealed complete response in 9(47.4%) and partial response in 5(26.3%). Conclusions The typical characteristics of AIH were: Female sex, type I, a wide range of clinical presentations, treatment using prednisolone and azathioprine turned out to be effective with complete remission in about half of patients. Top Keywords Autoimmune hepatitis, clinical presentation, and outcome, Iraqi children. Top |