[Characteristics, diagnosis and therapy of patients with autoimmune hepatitis]

Autoimmune hepatitis is a relatively rare disease that may lead to rapidly progressing liver cirrhosis and even fulminant liver failure, if diagnosis and treatment is delayed or ineffective. Diagnosing the disease can be challenging, and one in five patients respond insufficiently to standard treatment. Patients, who are diagnosed late in the disease course or only respond partly to medical treatment, are at high risk of developing severe liver insufficiency. This article summarizes the present knowledge and evidence regarding diagnostics, therapy and disease course.