J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1981 Oct;24(10):991-996.

A Case of Chronic Active Hepatitis

• Park HJ
• Park HK
• Chun HJ
• Shin MJ
• Kang SC

Abstract

Chronic active hepatitis (CAH) is defined as ongoing inflammation within the liver sustained beyond the expected time of resolution. The etiology of CAH is not completely understood, but hepatitis B infection, drugs such as oxyphenisatin, isoniazid, and alpha-methyldopa, and altered immunity are considered. The most common findings are jaundice, hepatosplenomegaly, elevated serum transaminase activities, hypergammaglobulinemia, and positive "autoimmune" serologic tests, such as the LE cell phenomenon, and mitochondrial, smooth muscle, and DNA antibodies. And CAH is predominant in the female. The liver biopsy is essential of diagnosis and characteristic histological findings are piecemeal necrosis and infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes. The remission of CAH could be induced by administration of prednisotone or prednisolone+azathioprine. And relapse is not common in the children. We experienced a case of 11 year old Korean boy who was compatible with chronic active hepatitis in the clinical, biochemical and histological features, and who had beer, treated with oral perdnisolone in successful remission in a year. Also we made a brief review of literatures.

Keyword

Chronic active hepatitis(CAH); Liver biopsy; Prednisolone therapy

MeSH Terms

Antibodies
Beer
Biopsy
Child
Diagnosis
DNA
Female
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis, Chronic*
Humans
Hypergammaglobulinemia
Inflammation
Isoniazid
Jaundice
Liver
Lymphocytes
Male
Methyldopa
Muscle, Smooth
Necrosis
Neutrophils
Oxyphenisatin Acetate
Plasma Cells
Recurrence
Serologic Tests
Antibodies
DNA
Isoniazid
Methyldopa
Oxyphenisatin Acetate