Diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune hepatitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an idiopathic hepatitis characterized by inflammation of the liver, presence of autoantibodies, and evidence of increased gamma globulins in the serum. It represents an enigmatic interaction between the immune system, autoantigens, and unknown triggering factors. This article provides a brief summary of the diagnosis of AIH, the natural history of AIH, an approach to the treatment and follow-up of AIH, and the role of liver transplantation in the treatment of AIH.