Fulminant hepatic failure in autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-1

Fulminant hepatic failure is liver disease that causes encephalopathy within 8 weeks of onset of symptoms or within 2 weeks of onset of jaundice in a patient without prior evidence of liver disease. Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-1 is an autoimmune autosomal-recessive condition causing parathyroid and adrenal insufficiency, alopecia, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, ectodermal dystrophy and, rarely, hepatitis. Although the liver can be affected as a consequence of the autoimmune process, the spectrum of disease activity is varied. Autoimmune hepatitis develops in 10-20% of patients and successful liver transplantation has been reported in pediatric patients who failed immunosuppressive treatment. We report fulminant hepatic failure in an adult patient with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-1 who responded to medical treatment and did not require liver transplantation. We highlight the diagnostic scoring system for autoimmune hepatitis and the referral criteria for liver transplantation in fulminant hepatic failure.