title: [Treatment of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis and of primary biliary cirrhosis].
abstract: Several subtypes of autoimmune chronic active hepatitis can be distinguished today, one variant of which seems to be associated with active hepatitis C virus infection. Except for the latter, all types respond well to immunosuppressive therapy with prednisone (+/- azathioprine). Therapy has been shown to prolong survival, but the disease nevertheless often progresses to cirrhosis. For conservative therapy of primary biliary cirrhosis, D-penicillamine is contraindicated and several immunosuppressants investigated are associated with unacceptable side effects; ursodeoxycholic acid, colchicine and perhaps methotrexate seem to be promising, but none has been proven to prolong survival. Therefore, patients with primary biliary cirrhosis should still be included in therapeutic trials. In the advanced stages of both diseases liver transplantation remains an effective therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Klinische Pharmakologie, Universität Bern.
authors.forename: E L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Renner
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000628:therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D001379:Azathioprine; D011241:Prednisone
vernacular_title: Behandlung der autoimmunen chronisch aktiven Hepatitis und der primär biliären Zirrhose.