Description:
A serious disorder that has a general tendency to progress to hepatic
cirrhosis and possibly even primary liver cancer.
The histological activity of Achlorhydra Autoimmune Active Chronic Hepatitis
is a concept that takes into account both inflammatory infiltration and hepatocellular damage that lead to fibrosis.
Inflammatory activity defines grade (mild, moderate or severe) of
Chronic Active Hepatitis, and therefore its prognosis (probability of evolution into cirrhosis). To a great extent it
is reversible with therapy.
The degrees of fibrosis express the stage reached by Chronic Active
Hepatitis into its evolution to cirrhosis. It is irreversible, but therapy and reduction of inflammation, can lessen or stop
its progression.
Symptoms and Signs
Patients are usually asymptomatic for a long time. Signs and symptoms
often occur when an advanced histological disease is present. Sometimes symptoms are vague and may be mistaken for other disease
or simply consequences of aging.
The main symptoms are:
- asthenia (70%). Often it gets worse as the day wears on
- upper abdominal pain or discomfort (20%
- anorexia
- weight loss
- aching joints
- itching
In about 20% of cases other
organs are affected:
- thyroid gland (thyroiditis)
- eye (Mooren corneal ulceration)
- kidney (membranoproliferativ glomerulonephritis)
- blood vessels (vasculitic syndromes)
and occasionally:
- joints (rheumatoid arthritis)
- lungs (pulmonary fibrosis)
