Budesonide 3x3mg/d Versus Prednisone in Active Autoimmune Hepatitis

This is a multicentre, multinational clinical study. It comprised two consecutive segments (A and B). Segment A was designed as a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled, two-arm parallel-group study. The patients received either budesonide or prednisone for 6 months. During segment B all patients received budesonide as an open treatment for additional 6 months. In this confirmatory study the proportion of patients with complete response was compared between the two treatment groups. Complete response was defined as biochemical remission (=serum levels of ASAT and ALAT within normal ranges) at the individual last visit of segment A and lack of steroid specific side effects throughout segment A.