Clinical overlap of multiple sclerosis and autoimmune hepatitis: three cases

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune, inflammatory disease characterized by demyelination and axonal degeneration in the central nervous system. MS is the second major cause of disability following trauma, and is mostly seen between the ages of 20 - 40 years and in women. Autoimmune hepatitis (AH) is a chronic disease characterized by hypergammaglobulinemia, high levels of transaminases, presence of antibodies, and histologically by the necroinflammatory process with interface hepatitis. In AH, the etiological agent of the disease and the cause of liver injury remain unknown. MS may be associated with AH, autoimmune thyroiditis, and type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). In literature, 8 cases with overlap of MS and AH have been reported. In this report, we present 3 cases which were detected with overlap of MS and AH, and are very rare condition in literature.