See this at: cicoach.com| Added on 06/19/09

We're here to tell you that living with a chronic illness and succeeding in your career are not mutually exclusive. We've coached hundreds of people, like you, who fear that illness might someday hurt their career. Our experiences living with chronic... See more

We're here to tell you that living with a chronic illness and succeeding in your career are not mutually exclusive. We've coached hundreds of people, like you, who fear that illness might someday hurt their career. Our experiences living with chronic illnesses -- and working with organizations both large and small -- has taught us about the unique pressures you face every day trying to manage unpredictable health while needing to be at the top of your game. That's why we're committed to giving you the coaching services, resources and products you need to deliver your best in demanding environments. See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 06/19/09

The uncertainties of a chronic illness can include job insecurity. It pays to know the rules.

The uncertainties of a chronic illness can include job insecurity. It pays to know the rules. See less

See this at: nytimes.com| Added on 05/10/08

WHEN you have autoimmune hepatitis, you do not call the disease by its name. You say that your liver is being attacked by your immune system. The reason is that a lot of people recoil when they hear the word "hepatitis," assuming that you have been... See more

WHEN you have autoimmune hepatitis, you do not call the disease by its name. You say that your liver is being attacked by your immune system. The reason is that a lot of people recoil when they hear the word "hepatitis," assuming that you have been bingeing on alcohol or using intravenous drugs or both. See less

See this at: medhelp.org| Added on 05/10/08

I am a 31 year old female and I have recently been diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. I have been diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome for about 10 years and am on Plaquenil 200mg per day. My AST and ALT are twice normal, as is my IgG. My liver biosy... See more

I am a 31 year old female and I have recently been diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. I have been diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome for about 10 years and am on Plaquenil 200mg per day. My AST and ALT are twice normal, as is my IgG. My liver biosy showed Grade 2 inflammation and Stage I fibrosis. My current GI doc feels that there is no need to treat at this stage and that a wait and see approach is better. He wants to monitor my LFT's and only start treatment if they become more elevated. I, however, would like to get pregnant and after researching this further am not sure that is the best treatment option. Any help would be appreciated, as would any suggestions for specialists in the NYC area. See less

See this at: home3.inet.tele.dk| Added on 04/27/08

What does it mean - and what is normal in Blood tests ? The names may be different in various countries –and so may the values. Please double-check with your own standards. Please find the tests in the boxes mentioned below. These pages contain two... See more

What does it mean - and what is normal in Blood tests ? The names may be different in various countries –and so may the values. Please double-check with your own standards. Please find the tests in the boxes mentioned below. These pages contain two different explanations to the blood tests. The first one is a longer one and very thorough - with information about the normal ranges. (Please observe: there are different values in different countries). It might mainly be for healthcare persons. It is divided into various groups: Liver Function - Liver enzymes - Blood chemistry - Electrolytes - Lipids - Protein - Ratio's - Thyroid - Differential - and other. Please see the boxes. There is also a shorter version = Common Laboratory Tests in Liver Diseases by Howard J. Worman, M. D. – This is meant to be read by patients and spouses. Please observe: From the blood tests: ALT (alanine aminotransferase) = SGPT (in Danish ALAT) - and AST (asparate aminotransferase) = SGOT (in Danish ASAT). See less

See this at: aarda.org| Added on 04/18/08

Men Get Autoimmune Diseases, Too AARDA's New Autoimmunity Public Service Campaign Alerts Men About Their Autoimmune Disease Risk. The campaign launched on April 3, 2008 consists of 30-second radio and television public service announcements (PSAs)... See more

Men Get Autoimmune Diseases, Too AARDA's New Autoimmunity Public Service Campaign Alerts Men About Their Autoimmune Disease Risk. The campaign launched on April 3, 2008 consists of 30-second radio and television public service announcements (PSAs) and education materials designed to raise awareness about the fact that, while women are disproportionately affected, these diseases do not discriminate when it comes to gender. Specifically, the PSAs inform men about the importance of knowing their family AQ. Visit http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/aarda/32498/ to download all campaign elements. Know Your Family AQ The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) has launched its first-ever national public service (PSA) campaign titled, "Know Your Family AQ," starring well-known actress and longtime AARDA spokesperson Kellie Martin. AQ is a play on IQ and stands for Autoimmune Quotient. How likely are you or a loved one to develop an autoimmune disease? It is designed to educate... See less

See this at: uptodate.com| Added on 04/16/08

INTRODUCTION — The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in the body. It functions to cleanse toxins from the blood, break down medications, and aid in digestion and blood clotting. Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation... See more

INTRODUCTION — The liver is one of the largest and most important organs in the body. It functions to cleanse toxins from the blood, break down medications, and aid in digestion and blood clotting. Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver. There are many forms and causes of hepatitis (such as viruses and certain drugs), including autoimmune hepatitis. In autoimmune hepatitis, the body's immune system attacks the cells of the liver, which causes the liver to become inflamed. Topics that discuss other types of hepatitis are available separately. (See "Patient information: Hepatitis B" and see "Patient information: Hepatitis C"). CAUSES AND TYPES — It is not clear why autoimmune hepatitis develops. Researchers suspect that some people inherit a genetic disposition that could make them more likely to develop it. Sometimes drugs or infections trigger the development of the disease. Patients with autoimmune hepatitis may also have other autoimmune disorders, such as... See less

See this at: mayoclinic.com| Added on 02/17/08

Your liver is very resilient in the face of liver problems. It can remain functional after losing most of its cells to disease. It can regenerate in a few weeks — even after much of it has been removed during surgery. But your liver isn't... See more

Your liver is very resilient in the face of liver problems. It can remain functional after losing most of its cells to disease. It can regenerate in a few weeks — even after much of it has been removed during surgery. But your liver isn't indestructible — liver problems are possible. Excessive alcohol consumption over many years is a leading cause of liver disease. Too much alcohol can make a normal liver swell with fat, causing a condition called fatty liver. If the fat becomes inflamed, it can lead to either alcoholic hepatitis, a liver problem that causes serious but often reversible liver damage, or cirrhosis, which causes irreversible liver damage. Because of extensive scarring, a cirrhotic liver shrinks to a fraction of its normal size. Viral hepatitis can lead to serious liver problems and is the most common type of liver disease. Hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver. The three types of hepatitis viruses — hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C — can all be prevented.... See less

See this at: linkinghub.elsevier....| Added on 01/14/08

Access to the full-text of this article will depend on your personal or institutional entitlements.

Access to the full-text of this article will depend on your personal or institutional entitlements. See less

See this at: patient.co.uk| Added on 01/10/08

Autoimmune hepatitis is an uncommon cause of chronic hepatitis (persistent liver inflammation). The cause is not known. If left untreated, the inflammation causes cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), which is eventually fatal. With treatment, the... See more

Autoimmune hepatitis is an uncommon cause of chronic hepatitis (persistent liver inflammation). The cause is not known. If left untreated, the inflammation causes cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), which is eventually fatal. With treatment, the outlook is good. Treatment is with steroids and/or other drugs which suppress inflammation. See less

See this at: health.yahoo.com| Added on 01/10/08

Autoimmune hepatitis can cause a variety of complications, including: * Pernicious anemia. Associated with a number of autoimmune disorders, pernicious anemia occurs when a lack of vitamin B12 interferes with your body's ability to form red blood... See more

Autoimmune hepatitis can cause a variety of complications, including: * Pernicious anemia. Associated with a number of autoimmune disorders, pernicious anemia occurs when a lack of vitamin B12 interferes with your body's ability to form red blood cells. Signs and symptoms of pernicious anemia can range from shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate to diarrhea, numbness or tingling in your hands and feet, and personality changes. * Hemolytic anemia. In this type of anemia, your immune system attacks and breaks down red blood cells faster than your bone marrow can replace them. * Thrombocytopenic purpura. Platelets are blood cells that play a crucial role in blood clotting. In thrombocytopenic purpura, your immune system attacks and destroys these cells, leading to easy bruising and bleeding. * Ulcerative colitis. This inflammatory bowel disease can cause severe bouts of watery or bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. It occurs in as many as three in 10 people with type 1 autoimmune... See less

See this at: medscape.com| Added on 06/10/08

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jun 09 - Results of a study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care suggest that elevated liver enzymes, even in the normal range, are associated with an increase in incident diabetes. "Emerging evidence suggests that a... See more

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jun 09 - Results of a study published in the June issue of Diabetes Care suggest that elevated liver enzymes, even in the normal range, are associated with an increase in incident diabetes. "Emerging evidence suggests that a strong link exists between certain liver enzymes such as gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alanine transaminase (ALT) and diabetes," Dr. Matthias B. Schulze, of the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany, and colleagues write. "These liver enzymes may be involved in several critical processes that affect the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease." To investigate further, the researchers conducted a case-cohort analysis of data from participants in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Potsdam study. The sample analyzed included 787 individuals with incident diabetes over a mean follow-up of 7.0 years and 2224 participants without... See less

See this at: drweil.com| Added on 04/21/08

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, with symptoms that range from mild to life-threatening, but it can also go into remission for weeks, months, and even years. More severe forms are difficult to manage medically - immunosuppressive drugs such as... See more

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, with symptoms that range from mild to life-threatening, but it can also go into remission for weeks, months, and even years. More severe forms are difficult to manage medically - immunosuppressive drugs such as prednisone can control severe symptoms, but should be used with caution, as they can reduce the chance that the disease will go into remission naturally. If you have lupus, take a daily multivitamin/multimineral supplement like the one available through the Vitamin Advisor, and modify your diet: * Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating wild Alaskan salmon or other cold-water, oily fish three times a week, or try freshly ground flaxseeds. * Avoid polyunsaturated vegetable oils (safflower, sunflower, corn, etc.), margarine, vegetable shortening, and all products made with partially hydrogenated oils. * Eat a low-protein, plant-based diet that excludes all products made from cows' milk. * Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables... See less

Highlights: If you have lupus, take a daily multivitamin/multimineral supplement like the one available through the Vitamin Advisor, and modify your diet: * Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by eating wild Alaskan salmon or other cold-water, oily fish three times a week, or try freshly...

See this at: geocities.com| Added on 04/17/08

This is important information for anyone with a liver disorder. Herbal remedies may benefit some liver disorders, BUT, you must be careful! Many herbs and medications have a toxic effect on the liver. I'm sure you're well aware of the dangers of... See more

This is important information for anyone with a liver disorder. Herbal remedies may benefit some liver disorders, BUT, you must be careful! Many herbs and medications have a toxic effect on the liver. I'm sure you're well aware of the dangers of taking acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol), if you have a liver disorder, but there are other things that are just as toxic. The liver is a great big "factory" that metabolizes many of the medications and herbs that we ingest. Herbs are not regulated by the FDA, and are therefore exempt from investigation and restrictions. What does that mean? Proof of safety and possible side effects are not required to be placed on the labels; exact ingredients and the amount and potency are not required; presence of other herbs or substances are not required on labels; and last but not least, other substances such as atropine, steroids, caffeine, and lead can and have been found to be added. What should you do? Carefully evaluate and investigate each... See less

See this at: mothernature.com| Added on 04/17/08

Unless you have had a liver problem, chances are that you barely give the organ much thought. A liver is easy to ignore. It never grumbles, thumps, burps or makes itself obvious like other organs. However polite it may be, do not underestimate your... See more

Unless you have had a liver problem, chances are that you barely give the organ much thought. A liver is easy to ignore. It never grumbles, thumps, burps or makes itself obvious like other organs. However polite it may be, do not underestimate your liver's importance. This organ performs an amazing assortment of tasks as your body's manufacturing plant. Through eating, breathing and even absorption through the skin, we all take in quite a smorgasbord of substances, ranging from life-sustaining foods to toxic chemicals. The liver's role is to break down and neutralize a wide array of potentially toxic chemicals, including such things as food additives, environmental pollutants, petroleum, paint and solvents. Even many natural substances, such as hormones, need to be broken down. Toxic levels of the hormones estrogen and testosterone circulate through the blood and increase the risk of hormonally related cancers if they are not transformed by the liver. The liver also converts protein... See less

See this at: nlm.nih.gov| Added on 04/16/08

Definition A person with liver disease must eat a special diet. This diet is protects the liver from working too hard and helps it to function as well as possible. Function Proteins normally help the body with tissue repair. They also prevent fatty... See more

Definition A person with liver disease must eat a special diet. This diet is protects the liver from working too hard and helps it to function as well as possible. Function Proteins normally help the body with tissue repair. They also prevent fatty buildup and damage to the liver cells. In people with severely damaged livers, these proteins are not properly processed. Waste products that are poisonous to the body may build up and affect the brain. In this case, protein may be restricted. Increasing carbohydrates in the diet helps reserve enough glycogen. The body stores carbohydrate in the form of glycogen. Carbohydrates should be the major source of calories for people with liver disease. Low blood count, nerve problems, and nutritional deficiencies may be treated with drugs and vitamin supplementation. Fluid buildup and swelling in the liver may be worsened by salt intake because salt holds on to water in the body. Most people with liver disease will need to restrict sodium. Food... See less

See this at: hepcchallenge.org| Added on 04/07/08

Integrative medicine is far more than simply the combination of mainstream (western) medicine with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The concept of integrative medicine embraces the philosophies and practices of different healing... See more

Integrative medicine is far more than simply the combination of mainstream (western) medicine with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The concept of integrative medicine embraces the philosophies and practices of different healing disciplines and functions as a bridge between them. As it is currently practiced in the United States, integrative medicine is spearheaded by western doctors who have come to appreciate the benefits and the limitations of both conventional (western) medicine and alternative healing practices and philosophies. An integrative medicine doctor practices western medicine and also utilizes other healing techniques either in combination with or, in some cases, as an alternative to conventional healing practices. Integrative medicine was borne of a desire to expand the conventional practice of medicine beyond the traditional boundaries of modern western medicine. Conventional medicine, as it is currently practiced in the west, is one of the youngest of the... See less

See this at: josephhall.org| Added on 01/14/08

I think I know what "speed" is like, Addicted to the bone I fly around the ceiling lights -- I'm hooked on prednisone My fingers shake, my eyelids twitch, I'm in the twilight zone I have a rash upon my knees Yep! I'm on prednisone I laugh and cry all... See more

I think I know what "speed" is like, Addicted to the bone I fly around the ceiling lights -- I'm hooked on prednisone My fingers shake, my eyelids twitch, I'm in the twilight zone I have a rash upon my knees Yep! I'm on prednisone I laugh and cry all in one breath; My temper fits have grown My family roll their eyes and say, "It must be prednisone!" I lie awake for hours at night By dawn my lists have grown I cram so much into each day It must be prednisone I wash the floor; we eat good meals The laundry's never strown I write a zillion Thank You notes The engine's prednisone Each tiny detail has my gaze A paper clip alone Must be disposed of properly That tyrant prednisone I thought that I would read a lot My stack of books has grown But vision's blurry -- reading's hard, It's naughty prednisone My hair is brittle, so no bleach My "highlights" have all grown I know it's true blondes have more fun But I'm on prednisone I never had heartburn before, Though I've heard friends who moan... See less

Highlights: This is a poem written by my aunt Cherry, recently deceased. She lived 46 years with type-1 diabetes. This poem was written after a pancreas transplant when they give transplant recipients a very potent cocktail of anti-rejection drugs, including the steroid Prednisone.

See this at: amazon.com| Added on 01/11/08

Book Description This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by International Medical News Group on May 1, 2002. The length of the article is 418 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The... See more

Book Description This digital document is an article from Pediatric News, published by International Medical News Group on May 1, 2002. The length of the article is 418 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser. Citation Details Title: Weekly liver function checks can sidestep prednisolone side effects. (Autoimmune Hepatitis). Author: Sally Koch Kubetin Publication: Pediatric News (Magazine/Journal) Date: May 1, 2002 Publisher: International Medical News Group Volume: 36 Issue: 5 Page: 48(1) Distributed by Thomson Gale Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. MONTREAL -- Physicians can avoid prednisolone-related side effects in children being treated for autoimmune hepatitis by checking liver function through weekly blood testing and fine-tuning the drug dose as needed, Dr. Giorgina... See less

Highlights: Price: $5.95

See this at: medicinenet.com| Added on 03/23/08

DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Budesonide is a synthetic steroid of the glucocorticoid family. The naturally-occurring hormone whose actions budesonide mimics, is cortisol or hydrocortisone which is produced by the adrenal glands. Glucocorticoid steroids... See more

DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Budesonide is a synthetic steroid of the glucocorticoid family. The naturally-occurring hormone whose actions budesonide mimics, is cortisol or hydrocortisone which is produced by the adrenal glands. Glucocorticoid steroids have potent anti-inflammatory actions. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease of unknown cause that results in diarrhea, crampy abdominal pain, fever and bleeding from the rectum. The active ingredient in Entocort EC, budesonide, is released from granules in the ileum of the small intestine and the right (proximal) colon, where the inflammation of Crohn's disease occurs. Budesonide acts directly by contact with the ileum and colon. The budesonide that is absorbed into the body travels to the liver where it is broken-down and eliminated from the body. This prevents the majority of the absorbed drug from being distributed to the rest of the body. As a result, budesonide causes fewer severe side effects throughout the body... See less

Highlights: STORAGE: Capsules should be stored between 15-30°C (59-86°F) PRESCRIBED FOR: Budesonide is used for the treatment of mild-to-moderately-active Crohn's disease involving the ileum (the second half of the small intestine) and/or ascending colon (the beginning of the large intestine). It also...

See this at: scholar.ilib.cn| Added on 03/17/08

AIM: Prednisone and azathioprine represent the standard treatment for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). However, only 65﹪ of the patients enter complete histological remission. Recently, budesonide (BUD) was reported to be a promising alternative. In this... See more

AIM: Prednisone and azathioprine represent the standard treatment for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). However, only 65﹪ of the patients enter complete histological remission. Recently, budesonide (BUD) was reported to be a promising alternative. In this study we assessed the efficacy and safety of BUD in AIH.METHODS: Eighteen patients (12 women, 6 men; mean age 45.4±21 years) with AIH were treated with BUD (Budenofalk(R)) 3 mg thrice daily and followed up for at least 24 wk. Seven patients also had features of primary biliary cirrhosis (n = 5) or primary sclerosing cholangitis (n = 2). Advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis was present in 6 patients.RESULTS: Fifteen (83﹪) patients had a complete clinical and biochemical remission. Ten patients, including five with acute hepatitis, were given BUD as first-line therapy, of which seven enter remission. Three patients,two with liver cirrhosis, did not improve. All patients with second-line therapy experienced long-term remission.A histological... See less

See this at: curehunter.com| Added on 03/17/08

Abstract AIM: To investigate the systemic availability of budesonide in a patient with Child A cirrhosis due to autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary hepatocellular carcinoma, who developed serious side effects. METHODS: Serum levels of budesonide,... See more

Abstract AIM: To investigate the systemic availability of budesonide in a patient with Child A cirrhosis due to autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary hepatocellular carcinoma, who developed serious side effects. METHODS: Serum levels of budesonide, 6beta-OH-budesonide and 16alpha-OH-prednisolone were measured by HPLC/MS/MS; portosystemic shunt-index (SI) was determined by 99mTc nuclear imaging. All values were compared with a matched control patient without side effects. RESULTS: Serum levels of budesonide were 13-fold increased in the index patient. The ratio between serum levels of the metabolites 6beta-OH-budesonide and 16alpha-OH-prednisolone, respectively, and serum levels of budesonide was diminished (1.0 vs. 4.0 for 6beta-OH-budesonide, 4.2 vs. 10.7 for 16alpha-OH-prednisolone). Both patients had portosystemic SI (5.7% and 3.1%) within the range of healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of budesonide vary up to 13-fold in AIH patients with Child A cirrhosis in the absence... See less

Highlights: Journal World journal of gastroenterology : WJG (World J Gastroenterol) Vol. 9 Issue 12 Pg. 2681-5 (Dec 2003) ISSN: 1007-9327 China

See this at: blackwell-synergy.co...| Added on 03/17/08

Objectives: To see if budesonide, a second generation glucocorticosteroid with a high topical effect and a high first-pass metabolism of 90% in the healthy liver, can induce biochemical remission in autoimmune chronic active hepatitis before being... See more

Objectives: To see if budesonide, a second generation glucocorticosteroid with a high topical effect and a high first-pass metabolism of 90% in the healthy liver, can induce biochemical remission in autoimmune chronic active hepatitis before being metabolized, and further to study the effect on endogenous plasma cortisol levels and corticosteroid-related side effects. Patients and design: Thirteen patients with autoimmune chronic active hepatitis (11 females) were treated openly for up to 9 months by oral budesonide capsules. The initial dose was 6–8 mg (mean 6.3 mg) daily for 6–10 weeks, and then the dose was individualized. Results: The pre-treatment values of alanine aminotransferase and immunoglobulin (IgG) were 7.1 ± 1.2,μkat/L (mean ± S.E.M.) and 26.4 ± 3.9 g/L, respectively. After 6 weeks of treatment, significant decreases in alanine aminotransferase (to 2.1 ± 0.9 μkat/L) and immunoglobulin (to 18.4 ± 2.4 g/L) were recorded. After 9 months the corresponding values (n = 9) were... See less

See this at: newsrx.com| Added on 03/17/08

November 7th, 2005 Budesonide sends previously untreated autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) into remission. According to a study from Germany, "AIH is a chronic liver disease that is effectively treated with immunosuppressive therapy. Predniso(lo)ne, often... See more

November 7th, 2005 Budesonide sends previously untreated autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) into remission. According to a study from Germany, "AIH is a chronic liver disease that is effectively treated with immunosuppressive therapy. Predniso(lo)ne, often in combination with azathioprine, is the basic therapeutic option to induce remission." "However, this regimen can cause numerous side effects. The aim of the present study was to evaluate budesonide as a treatment option in the induction of remission in patients with previously untreated AIH. Between October 1998 and August 1999, 12 patients were treated with 3 mg budesonide thrice daily for 3 months in this open one-arm... See less

See this at: springerlink.com| Added on 03/17/08

To use the personalized features of this site, please log in or register. If you have forgotten your username or password, we can help.

To use the personalized features of this site, please log in or register. If you have forgotten your username or password, we can help. See less

See this at: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov| Added on 03/17/08

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Budesonide has a high hepatic first-pass clearance and metabolites virtually devoid of glucocorticoid activity. Our goals were to assess budesonide in patients with treatment-dependent autoimmune hepatitis and to determine if... See more

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Budesonide has a high hepatic first-pass clearance and metabolites virtually devoid of glucocorticoid activity. Our goals were to assess budesonide in patients with treatment-dependent autoimmune hepatitis and to determine if efficacy and safety justified a controlled trial. METHODS: Ten patients who were dependent on continuous treatment to prevent exacerbation of their disease were treated with budesonide, 3 mg thrice daily. RESULTS: Laboratory indices did not improve significantly during 5 +/- 1 months of therapy (range, 2-12 months). Three patients entered clinical and biochemical remission; 2 of them achieved histologic remission. Seven patients either deteriorated during therapy or became drug intolerant. Withdrawal symptoms complicated conversion from prednisone to budesonide treatment, and every patient developed at least 1 side effect. Lumbar spine density decreased in 2 patients, and femur density decreased in 2 patients, including 1 with lumbar spine... See less

See this at: nature.com| Added on 03/17/08

Standard treatment for autoimmune hepatitis is >2 years' combination therapy with azathioprine and prednisolone. This is effective in inducing remission, but long-term prednisolone use is associated with side effects. Small studies of treatment with... See more

Standard treatment for autoimmune hepatitis is >2 years' combination therapy with azathioprine and prednisolone. This is effective in inducing remission, but long-term prednisolone use is associated with side effects. Small studies of treatment with budesonide have indicated that it might have similar efficacy to, but fewer side effects than, conventional steroids. In this open, uncontrolled, multicenter phase IIa trial, Wiegand et al. showed that oral budesonide can effectively and safely induce remission in treatment naive patients with autoimmune hepatitis. In all, 12 patients received a 3 mg capsule of budesonide three times daily for 3 months. Seven patients (58%) achieved complete remission, defined as a drop in levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase to 2 the upper limit of normal. Three patients (25%) had a partial response to treatment. Therapy was well tolerated in 10 cases. Three serious adverse events were observed, including one case of... See less