Gerasun B, Danilejchenco V. New methods of autoimmune chronic hepatitis treatment.

5th Scientific Conference with International Participation “Progress in treatment of liver diseases”. – Warsaw, 2001. – P. 29.

Treatment of autoimmune chronic hepatitis (AIH) is still complicated and not fully resolved. The treatment strategy of AIH is to reach the state of remission and to maintain this condition for as long as possi-ble. Use of immunosuppressive therapy (azathioprine, cyclosporine A, glucocorticosteroid hormones separately or in different combinations, or antilymphocystic immunoglobuline if necessary) is limited by seve-ral contra-indications and as well by the fact that HBs Ag or HCVRNA is not found in all the patients.

New therapeutic method for exacerbation of AIH with the use of autoleucocytes of the patient has been employed. For this purpose, blood of the patient (20-30 ml) is taken to the test tube with heparin and after the sedimentation in the cold plasma (leukocyte concentrate) is sucked with pipette. After a thorough washing, cells are concentrated to the le-vel of 7-8X10″ in 1 ml and subcutaneously injected in several points (15-20) in the dosage of 0.1 ml. Patients tolerate injections of their own leukocytes quite well. General condition of 10 out of 13 patients impro-ved substantially just in one day after the procedure. Laboratory test re-sults also changed; ALT activity decreased rapidly, hyperbilirubinaemia started to decrease and the number of blood lymphocytes only sli-ghtly went down. Antinuclear antibodies level essentially decreased. Some reactions of cellular immunity also changed.

One to 5 courses of such treatment were performed during 5 to 7 days or more depending on the patient condition. 80% of the patients de-monstrated remission of various duration. This method could be re-commended in AIH therapy, especially of type 1.