title: Clinical features of autoimmune hepatitis and comparison of two diagnostic criteria in Korea: a nationwide, multicenter study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As a rare liver disease, little is known about autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). This study investigated the clinical features and compared two diagnostic criteria of AIH in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nationwide, multicenter, retrospective analysis was done of data of adult patients diagnosed with AIH from January 2005 to December 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The enrolled patients (n = 343; mean age, 52.8 years; range, 19-87 years; 12% male, 88% female) met diagnostic criteria of AIH according to the revised original criteria (n = 311) or the simplified criteria (n = 250). At diagnosis, 30.6% were asymptomatic, 22.7% were cirrhotic, and 4.3% displayed hepatic decompensation. The positive results for anti-nuclear antibody, smooth muscle antibody, and anti-liver/kidney microsomal antibody were 94.2%, 23.0%, and 2.9%, respectively. Definite AIH and probable AIH according to the revised original criteria were 24.8% and 65.3%, respectively, while those according to the simplified criteria were 34.4% and 38.5%, respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity and positive predictive value of simplified criteria in comparison with the revised original criteria were 69.9% and 86.4%, respectively. As an initial therapy, corticosteroid (37.7%) or corticosteroid with azathioprine (36.8%) was administered. Remission, incomplete response, and treatment failure were noted with 85.7%, 10.5%, and 3.9% of patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Autoimmune hepatitis in Korea is mostly type I, showing a mean age of 53 years with comparable clinical features to other countries. The concordant rate of the two diagnostic criteria was rather low with modest sensitivity of the simplified criteria. Further studies on the validation of the diagnostic criteria are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Bo Hyun
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yoon Jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sook-Hyang
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Won Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Tak
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Youn Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Uk
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jung Il
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Yeon
authors.forename: Jae Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Soon Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Um
authors.forename: Yeon Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Young Seok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung Cheol
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Ju Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young Kul
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Choong Kee
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyung-Ah
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Eun Young
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Eom Seok
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Hee Bok
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Dong Joon
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Su Rin
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism*; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D019693:Hepatitis, Autoimmune / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000974:Antibodies, Antinuclear; D001323:Autoantibodies; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C060729:anti-liver kidney microsome antibody; D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine