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The presence of autoantibodies such as antinuclear (ANA), antismooth muscle (ASMA), and F-actin informs the diagnosis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). However, it is unclear if persistence of these autoantibodies is predictive of disease activity.
In the current longitudinal study, investigators assessed the correlation of autoantibody titers with clinical, biochemical, and histologic activity in patients with probable or definite AIH with reactivity to autoantibodies. Patients were treated with prednisone with or without azathioprine and were followed for at least 20 months. Autoantibody titers were measured before and after treatment.
The study comprised 95 patients with type 1 AIH and 17 with type 2 AIH (mean age, 18.6 years; 89% female). Au…