Lower extremity purpura associated with new-onset autoimmune hepatitis: an unusual presentation

Autoimmune hepatitis is a chronic necroinflammatory disorder of unknown cause. The morbidity and mortality of this potentially lethal disorder can be minimized by timely diagnosis and treatment. Patients can present with a wide variety of clinical and laboratory manifestations, including high titers of antinuclear antibody and other autoantibodies commonly associated with dermatologic disorders. Overt evidence of hepatic injury can be a late finding. An unusual presentation of autoimmune hepatitis and a brief review of its clinical features are presented, with an emphasis on those findings most relevant to a practicing dermatologist.