Autoimmune hepatitis diagnosis and connection to low white blood cell count

[Jadey1]

Hi I’ve just joined this site today to ask this question and hopefully somebody can put my mind at ease or give me some more information. Basically my 5 year olds biological father has been diagnosed with having autoimmune hepatitis. Recently my daughter has been getting tired more easily and also pains in legs and complains often of a sore stomach. I’m aware that these are normal in children of her age but are also symptoms of this rare condition. I took her to the doctor, explained about her father . And the doctor said he would run a general blood test to check for any vitamin deficiencies etc . I got the results today via the doctors receptionist, all is fine apart from a low white blood cell count and the doctor will phone me next week . Now I’m in a panic wondering if this could be Something to do with AIH . Is a low white blood cell count something that would be a concern? Any help or advice would be appreciated. I have researched the condition both for adults and children . I’m hoping the white blood cell count is totally unrelated. Thanks in advance .

[Hidden]

Just to say I have AIH and it is thought that AIH is not inherited. Whilst genetics plays a small part, they think this is more in the line that genetically families may have a greater likelihood of developing other auto-immune disease. However, this genetic link is very small. Secondly, low white blood cell count is not something that is suggestive of AIH. When diagnosing AIH, they look for markers in the Liver Function Tests (LFT's), as well as other things. According to what you have been told these are not present, so AIH seems highly unlikely given what you have been told. SInce I am not a doctor, I cannot suggest what the low white cell count is due to. I hope you get your mind put at rest soon with regard to what is going on

[Jadey1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for taking the time to reply , I think I just panicked as I was only speaking to a receptionist who had likely never heard of this condition . I did actually go in to the doctors surgery this morning after a sleepless night . And he basically said the same as you with regards to the white blood cells and liver function. He gave me a print out of the results and talked me through them , the liver levels are at a normal level which tells us she is okay . What a relief . He said the low white blood cells are only slightly low and it’s likely she has been fighting off a cold / virus and this would account for the low white blood cells . She’s to go back in 6 weeks time for another blood test and the Dr is expecting that the white blood cells will have returned to a normal level . I didn’t realise that it wasn’t inherited, which is interesting. Thanks again for your informative response . X

[Hidden in reply to Jadey1]

Glad to have helped. I suspected that the low white blood cell count was due to recent infection, but didn't want to say that in case I was wrong and it could be down to other things that I was not aware of.

AIH is a classed as a rare disease and this means that currently 1280 people/year are diagnosed with it in the UK. Since it is rare, it is usual for a doctor's surgery to only encounter 1 patient with it, so the chances of the GP being familiar with it are slim, never mind the receptionist! Receiving blood results from the receptionist in cases like this does lead to anxiety and I feel very concerned that increasingly patients are being given results in this way, without a full picture being given.

Anyway, I'm pleased to know that your daughter is mostly well and is on the road to recovery. If you want to know anything else about AIH for you daughter's biological father, then please ask. All the very best

[Jadey1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you . Yes it is not a good way to give results especially since I then would have waited a week to speak to the GP . I’m glad I went in to the surgery . There is actually another question a have regarding AIH , but I’d prefer to pm you if I can work out how to do that .

[Hidden]

Hi Jadey,

The British Liver Trust do have a publication regarding Autoimmune Hepatitis that you may find useful to read, here is the link;

britishlivertrust.org.uk/wp...

Best wishes

Trust1