+ Anti Smooth Muscle & High Bilirubin - Immune Disorders Message Board

WednesdaysChild · 08-17-2006, 12:30 PM

Has anyone ever heard of any of this?

I was found to have high bilirubin about a year and a half ago and had several blood tests over the course of a year to show that it was consistent. More recently I was referred to a GI specialist and am now found to have positive smooth muscle antibodies. All of my immunoglobulins are normal; my gamma globulins are within normal range, but my beta globulins are flagged as low (4.50 range:6.00 to 8.00).

If this were autoimmune hepatitis, wouldn't my gamma globulins be high? And wouldn't my AST ALT liver enzymes be high as well (these were normal.)

If anyone could shed a little light here, I would really appreciate it. I feel very worried...

I'm female, 26, tested neg for Hep B and C, and not in a high risk for viral hepatitis.

Leanne R · 08-19-2006, 04:42 AM

Is it only your bilirubin that is high with regards to your liver function?
If it is only your bilirubin that is high and all your liver function is normal then you probably have gilbert's syndrome......I have that and apparantly it is harmless although I have a feeling it means toxins are less efficiently dealt with in the body. Your immune system is obviously struggling in some way...do you feel ok? if not what are your symptoms?

WednesdaysChild · 08-19-2006, 10:37 AM

A year and a half ago, all that was elevated was the bilirubin and my liver enzymes were normal. I am sure now that I have been referred to an immunologist, he will want to repeat the liver panel.

My gastroenterologist was fishing for a Gilbert's diagnosis, thus the immunological testing to rule out any other abnormalities. I do get very fatigued sometimes, but I assumed that was normal; that everyone gets tired sometimes. I'm also frequently itchy, and my sclera get icteric when I am tired, hungry etc. I assumed Gilberts and didn't worry so much about it. I sometimes have a weak, nagging pain in my right upper quadrant., particularly if I have been eating poorly or drinking heavily.

The abdominal ultrasound I passed showed no abnormality in the liver nor the gallbladder.

I tested negative for ANA (antinuclear antibodies). I tested negative for anti-mitochondrial antibodies. I only tested positive for the anti smooth muscle (SMA).

IgG, IgA abd IgM are all normal. Haptoglobin was flagged slightly low. For my serum protein; only my beta globulins were flagged as low (4.5 out of a range of 6 -8g/L).

I am assuming the SMA is a sign of something bad, and it has me concerned. I wonder if anyone who has been diagnosed with AIH has gone through anything similar?