[Fibrosing alveolitis in a 7-year-old girl with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and autoimmune hepatitis].

A Coombs-positive haemolytic anaemia with proof of heat autoagglutinins and autoantibodies against cell nuclei was diagnosed in a girl, now 7 1/2 years of age, in the sixth month of her life as a sequel to jaundice. Shortly afterwards liver biopsy yielded a confirmed diagnosis of giant cell hepatitis. The signs of the disease receded under treatment with decortin and imurek. An attempt to discontinue the medication at 5 1/2 years of age resulted in a histologically confirmed recurrence of autoimmune hepatitis. When the patient was 5 years old, the x-ray revealed a mainly interstitial pneumonia; at 6 years of age, bronchiectases in the region of the left lower lobe were confirmed by bronchography. Resection of the lower lobe was performed after occurrence of atelectasis. Histopathological findings confirmed fibrotic alveolitis associated with giant cells. Based on the overall clinical course and the histological and immunological findings, autoimmune etiology of fibrotic alveolitis must be discussed. Progression of the disease could be avoided during the past 6 months by intensifying the immunosuppressive prednisolone therapy.