Abstract
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an autoreactive chronic inflammatory liver disease that can affect individuals of any age. In the elderly, AIH may present as acute or chronic hepatitis with elevated liver enzyme levels. As elderly patients have increased risk of developing corticosteroid-related complications, induction therapy with low-dose prednisone (or equivalent) + azathioprine or budesonide + azathioprine is preferred over high-dose corticosteroid monotherapy. Maintenance treatment, preferably with azathioprine monotherapy, should be continued until full biochemical and histological remission is achieved.
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The article was adapted from Drugs & Aging 2018;35(7):589–602 [1] by employees of Adis/Springer, who are responsible for the article content and declare no conflicts of interest.
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Adis Medical Writers. Treat autoimmune hepatitis in the elderly with corticosteroids + azathioprine to reduce the risk of corticosteroid-related toxicity. Drugs Ther Perspect 35, 129–134 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-018-0585-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-018-0585-0