Clinical features of 35 cases of autoimmune hepatitis-primary biliary cirrhosis overlap syndrome / 中华肝脏病杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To realize the clinical features of autoimmune hepatitis-primary biliary cirrhosis (AIH+PBC) overlap syndrome.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We analyzed and compared the biochemistry, autoimmune antibodies, and liver biopsy results of 129 autoimmune hepatic disease cases retrospectively, using the international criteria to see which could be diagnosed as AIH/PBC overlap syndrome.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Our 35 AIH+PBC overlap syndrome patients were mainly women, with a sex ratio of 1 female: 10 male, and a median age of 50.79+/-11.27 (20 to 70 years old). They had AIH characteristics such as flare of ALT, AST and elevated immunoglobulin G (IgG), gamma-immunoglobulin. There were also antinuclear antibodies (74.3%); moderate or severe periportal or periseptal lymphocytic infiltration, piecemeal necrosis, and florid bile duct lesions, high serum levels of ALP, presence of mitochondrial antibodies (68.6%) and M2 antibodies (45.7%), and features of PBC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>AIH+PBC overlap syndrome is not rare. It should be diagnosed in time and to find effective treatments for it.</p>