title: Clinical subgroup of autoimmune hepatitis type 1 sustaining remission without additional drugs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many patients with autoimmune hepatitis type 1 need additional non-steroidal immunosuppressants to maintain remissions, but the indication should be limited to avoid the unnecessary side effects. The aim of this study is to clarify the clinical subgroups of autoimmune hepatitis type 1 sustaining remission without additional drugs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 20 patients with autoimmune hepatitis type 1, in whom complete remissions were achieved in the natural course or by prednisolone alone. Remissions were maintained with none or less than 10 mg/day of prednisolone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the course (average: 6 years), 8 patients (40%) remained in remission for more than three years. In the remitted group, initial values of serum gamma-globulin (p<0.05) and serum immunoglobulin G (p<0.01) were lower than those in the relapsed group. The group with less than 30 mg/ml of gamma-globulin and 3000 mg/dl of immunoglobulin G showed a significantly lower relapse rate than the other one (p<0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a clinical subgroup of autoimmune hepatitis type 1 that sustains remission with low-dose prednisolone alone. Additional immunosuppressive drugs may not be needed to maintain remissions in such patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Tenri Hospital, and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Sakyo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohana
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hajiro
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okazaki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haga
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobashi
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D005719:gamma-Globulins; D011239:Prednisolone