TV actor Sana Makbul, who became popular after her appearance on the reality show Bigg Boss OTT season 3 last year, has now revealed that she has been diagnosed with liver cirrhosis (liver scarring) following a prolonged battle with autoimmune hepatitis. As the 32-year-old undergoes immunotherapy, this condition, which causes liver damage and inflammation, usually develops at a younger age and affects more women than men.
“Living with autoimmune hepatitis involves long-term management. Monitoring it through regular tests and strict lifestyle protocols arrest liver degeneration. A transplant may become necessary only in a worst case scenario,” says Dr Sukrit Singh Sethi, Director, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, Narayana Hospital, Gurugram.
What is autoimmune hepatitis?
This is a chronic liver disease in which the body’s own infection-fighting mechanism or immune system mistakenly attacks the liver, thinking it to be the enemy, leading to inflammation. Left untreated, it can lead to serious complications like liver fibrosis or cirrhosis.
Who gets it, who is vulnerable?
It can affect people of all ages but doctors commonly diagnose it in those between the ages of 10 and 30 and then 40 and 60. Young and middle-aged women are most prone to developing it. People with a family history of autoimmune diseases or those who already suffer from conditions like Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or thyroid disorders, are more vulnerable. It may also be triggered by certain medications or infections in genetically predisposed individuals.
What are symptoms?
Some people may have zero or very mild symptoms, others can have severe ones. Problem is some of these overlap with other diseases. But extreme fatigue, yellowing of the skin and eyes, pain and joint swelling, enlarged liver and spleen because of fluid buildup, dark urine, pale stools and spider-like blood vessels in the skin are common markers. Women may report a sudden cessation of periods. Sometimes patients report rectal bleeding and vomiting blood.
How is it diagnosed?
If your autoimmune marker serology test — this looks at blood serum for proteins that mistakenly attack the body’s own healthy cells and tissues — is positive, a liver biopsy is done. Small liver tissue samples are taken with a needle to ascertain damage.
What about treatment?
Doctors typically prescribe immunosuppressants to prevent the immune system from attacking healthy cells and tissues. People go into remission but the condition returns too. So the patient has to undergo regular liver function tests, follow a healthy diet, avoid alcohol and liver-toxic drugs.
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What to do when cirrhosis happens?
If autoimmune hepatitis progresses to cirrhosis, which is the permanent scarring of liver tissue, doctors focus on preventing further damage. Liver transplantation is considered if liver function declines severely.
How can one prevent the condition?
People with a family history of autoimmune diseases or existing autoimmune conditions should be more alert to liver discomfort. I suggest routine liver health check-ups for everybody as early detection means better outcomes. Get the liver enzyme test to assess the fitness of your liver at least twice a year. For women SGPT, now called ALT, is 7-35 units/L, for men 10-40 units/L. SGOT (now AST) is 13-35 units/L for women and 15-40 units/L for men.
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