We acknowledge the utility of responsiveness to steroids in aiding the diagnosis of AIH; however, these criteria were formulated to allow “bedside” diagnosis in routine clinical practice and to guide management. Application of the criteria after steroid therapy has been instituted would only be useful in retrospect. In addition, including response to steroid therapy would render the two criteria near identical in their applicability and ease of use. Finally, the authors emphasize the lower sensitivity of the simplified criteria for ‘definite’ diagnosis of AIH (70%) compared to “overall” diagnosis of AIH (90%) and suggest this as the major limitation. However, since majority of the patients

diagnosed as “probable” AIH using the simplified criteria would be treated in a fashion similar to those diagnosed as “definite” AIH, we would argue that the sensitivity for “overall” diagnosis of AIH is more relevant. In summary, the results of this study are difficult Selleck Talazoparib to interpret because

the accuracy of AIH diagnosis in study patients is unknown. Until a reliable gold standard test for AIH is devised to accurately assess the sensitivity and specificity of these criteria, it would be prudent to limit their use as an adjunct to clinical judgement in guiding diagnosis and management of patients with AIH. MK1775 Rajan Kochar*, Michael Fallon*, * Division of Gastroenterology & Nutrition Hepatology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX. “
“A 32-year-old Histidine ammonia-lyase woman presented in week 31 of her pregnancy with a 7-day history of nausea, intermittent vomiting, and fever. Investigations revealed significantly abnormal liver function (bilirubin: 45 μmol/L [normal: <18 μmol/L]; alkaline phosphatase: 211 U/L; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) = 2360 U/L; gamma-glutamyl transferase: 74 U/L; international normalized ratio: 1.6). The provisional diagnosis was fatty liver of pregnancy. ALT, alanine aminotransferase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; HSV, herpes simplex virus.

Despite emergency caesarian section, the patient’s condition deteriorated and intubation was required on day 2 for hepatic encephalopathy. Computed tomography scan of the abdomen demonstrated patent hepatic vessels and an enlarged liver with parenchymal changes suggestive of fatty infiltration. Hepatitis A/B/C serology returned negative, and because of the diagnostic uncertainty at that point, both intravenous acyclovir and N-acetyl-cysteine were commenced. On postpartum day 3, the patient underwent urgent transplantation for acute liver failure. A diagnosis of fulminant liver failure from herpes simplex virus (HSV) was confirmed following pathological examination of the explanted liver. Figure 1 is a section of explanted liver. The liver is enlarged and congested. The yellow mottled areas correspond to the only residual viable parenchyma. In Figure 2, extensive geographic pauci-inflammatory, hemorrhagic necrosis is demonstrated.