title: [Auto-immune liver diseases and their treatment].
abstract: There are three main types of auto-immune liver disease, auto-immune hepatitis, primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. In the case of auto-immune hepatitis, prednisone therapy, with or without azathioprine, can improve quality of life and halt progression to cirrhosis. If there is no response or if the therapy is poorly tolerated, mycophenolate mofetil or cyclosporin should be considered. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), at a dosage of 13 to 15 mg/kg/day slows the progression of fibrosis in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. Pruritus may be treated with cholestyramine, rifampicin or opiate antagonists. Ursodeoxycholic acid at a dosage of 20 to 30 mg/kg/day will slow the evolution of fibrosis.
authors.affiliation: Service de gastro-entérologie et d'hépatologie, CHUV, Rue du Bugnon 44, 1011 Lausanne. jurghess@bluewin.ch
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thorens
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pache
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Troillet
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moradpour
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gonvers
mesh_terms: D002761:Cholangitis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents