Autoimmune hepatitis to Advanced Liver Cirrhosis

[Vinolia]

My name is Vinolia

I was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis in 2006.

I have recently visited my dr and did a fibroscan and I was on 22 . I'm a bit scared and confused. Did my liver progressed to cirrhosis now.

How bad is being on 22 and how fast will it progress to 75 of which is the worst.

Which stage of cirrhosis is it being on the scale of 22 according the fibroscan ?

I had covid last year and survived just that from time to time if I was exposed to aircon I have to use a ashman pump at night.

I also have been experiencing unexplainable bruises on my body.

Pain on the liver or it might be the gallbladder not sure.

Kindly assist

[AyrshireK]

Hi Vinolia, my husband has cirrhosis due to AIH, he never had a diagnosis of either condition until he presented with signs of decompensated cirrhosis in April 2012.What are your bloods doing just now? The fact your AIH has progressed would seem to suggest that medication hasn't stopped your AIH from continueing to attack the liver (I presume you have been on steroids and then an immune suppressant).

The fibroscan chart has only just started showing a bar for AIH on which anything over 16 kPa reflects F4/Cirrhosis. You may never get to 75 kPa infact many doctors won't do repeat fibroscans (my hubby has never had one as we know he has cirrhosis so fibroscan won't necessarily add anything to his diagnosis). *If you have elevations of liver inflammation markers at the time of the scan it won't necessarily be accurate since fibroscan can't tell the difference between actual fibrous tissue and ongoing inflammation within the liver SO it is important that results of bloods are known.

What matters now is keeping inflammation under control and any symptoms from cirrhosis in check.

Bruising can be caused by your steroids (if you are on them) or indeed is a symptom of advanced liver disease when you spleen starts to gobble platelets and you get easy bruising and difficulty stopping small bleeds - obviously a bruise is a haemorrage of blood under the skin so simple knocks can cause pretty big bruises. (My husband is currently sporting a massive one from getting a pedal bump whilst cycling).

You've got the added complication of post covid and it seems to create a post viral syndrome which is akin to an auto immune condition so that may also be playing a part if your bloods are currently elevated.

You ask about what stage of cirrhosis you may be - this would be determined by any symptoms you have rather than the level of your kPa score. The BLT has good information on both AIH and Cirrhosis which you will learn more from.

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

britishlivertrust.org.uk/in...

Hope this provides more information for you.

Best wishes

Katie

Fibroscan score chart including bars for auto immune conditions.