Clinical heterogeneity in autoimmune acute liver failure.

AIM: To describe the outcome and prognosis in a cohort of patients with acute liver failure due to autoimmune hepatitis without liver transplantation.

METHODS

A retrospective trial was conducted in 11 patients with acute liver failure due to autoimmune hepatitis who attended the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran. Demographic, biochemical and severity indexes, and treatment and outcome were assessed.

RESULTS

Among the 11 patients, with a median age of 31 years, 72% had inflammatory response syndrome, and six patients received corticosteroids. The mortality rate within four weeks was 56%, and the one-year survival was 27%. In the survivors, severity indexes were lower and 83% received corticosteroids.

CONCLUSION

We observed a relatively high survival rate in patients with acute liver failure due to autoimmune hepatitis. This survival rate could be influenced by severity of the disease and/or use of corticosteroids.