Autoimmune Hepatitis

#KYJ -  AIH -Autoimmune Hepatitis.

AIH is an ideopathic destruction of the liver by the body's own immune system.   In a similar vane to rheumatoid conditions where the immune system attacks joints and other connective tissues, AIH attacks the liver (Hepa*),leaving it inflamed (*itis)= hepatitis.
It is not related to viral hepatitis like HepA, B, C or other viral disease.
It is not related to alcohol use or drug taking like Cirrhosis of the Liver.
AIH has no known cause.  We just don't know why an otherwise normal immune system should turn on one of its own organs (the liver) and seek to destroy it.  That's what ideopathic means; "cause unknown".

All tissue that becomes injured, need to be repaired.  The repair process is called inflammation.  When injured, and subsequently inflamed, the tissues/organs that they form, stop doing the job they were built to do.
In encephalitis brain stops functioning
In arthritis, joints stop working.
In gastroenteritis the gut stops working.
Well as you probably guessed, in hepatitis, the liver ceases to function.

In hepatitis important enzymes and proteins can't be made.
The Liver converts brain damaging ammonia into a less toxic waste, preventing brain injury.
The Liver makes the blood proteins used for coagulation, with out these, bleeding occurs and clotting mechanisms in the body fail.
The Liver manufactures an important blood protein called Albumin which acts as a water magnet that stops your capillaries leaking into your body tissues (Oedema or swelling).
The Liver processes dead red blood cells (bilirubin) and converts this into bile for digestion.
The Liver makes cholesterol which is the building material for all cells in the body.  Without it the body can't repair or make hormones and bile.

Now if inflamed, the Liver can't do these jobs.  Hepatitis leaves toxic buildup of ammonia causing confusion and brain damage.
A toxic buildup of bilirubin stains the skin yellow (jaundice) and causes the hepatitis patient an incessant itch (Pruritus).
The hepatitis patient can't clot, and with less albumin, they develop swollen legs, and swollen abdomens (called ascites).  Occasionally the capillaries in the lungs will leak causing lungs to fill with fluid, breathlessness and reduction of oxygen delivery to all cells.

Hepatitis is a dangerous disease state, and when destroyed, the Liver can't regenerate fast enough to support life. The end stage treatment for AIH is transplant.  The gift of life allows restoration of function to a person with liver destruction.

I hope that this short KYJ on AIH and hepatitis was interesting, and helped you understand this rare liver condition.

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