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. 2015 Dec;60(12):3788-93.
doi: 10.1007/s10620-015-3795-5. Epub 2015 Jul 15.

Autoimmune Markers Do Not Impact Clinical Presentation or Natural History of Steatohepatitis-Related Liver Disease

Sujan Ravi  1 , Mohamed Shoreibah  2 , Evan Raff  1 , Joseph Bloomer  2 , Donny Kakati  1 , Khalid Rasheed  3 , Ashwani K Singal  4
Affiliations

Autoimmune Markers Do Not Impact Clinical Presentation or Natural History of Steatohepatitis-Related Liver Disease

Sujan Ravi et al. Dig Dis Sci. 2015 Dec.

Abstract

Background and aim: Autoimmune (AI) markers are reported in patients with steatohepatitis-related liver disease. However, their clinical significance is unclear.

Methods: Charts of patients due to alcoholic liver disease (ALD) or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were stratified for antinuclear antigen (ANA > 1:80), antismooth muscle antibody (ASMA > 1:40), or antimitochondrial antibody (AMA > 1:20). Study outcomes were patient survival and complications of liver disease.

Results: Of 607 patients (401 NAFLD), information about AI markers was available for 398 (mean age 50 ± 15 year; 52% males; median body mass index (BMI) 38; 44% diabetic; 62% nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) as type of steatohepatitis; median MELD score 9). A total of 78 (19.6%) patients were positive for AI markers without differences for ALD versus NAFLD, cirrhosis versus no cirrhosis, and NASH versus no NASH. There were no differences for age, gender, BMI, cirrhosis at presentation, MELD score, endoscopic findings, and histology based on AI markers. Serum ALT was higher among patients with AI markers (65 ± 46 vs. 59 ± 66 IU/l; P = 0.048). Data remained unchanged on analyzing NAFLD patients. None of the 11 ANA-positive patients (1:640 in 4) showed findings of AI hepatitis. Biopsy in three AMA-positive patients showed mild bile duct damage in one patient. On median follow-up of about 3 years, there were no differences in liver disease outcomes (ascites, encephalopathy, variceal bleeding), hepatocellular carcinoma, transplantation, and survival.

Conclusions: Autoimmune markers are frequently present in steatohepatitis-related liver disease patients. Their presence is an epiphenomenon without histological changes of autoimmune hepatitis. Further, their presence does not impact clinical presentation and follow-up outcomes.

Keywords: ALD; Autoimmunity; Fatty liver; NAFLD; NASH.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of autoimmune markers among patients with steatohepatitis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Endoscopic findings among patients with steatohepatitis comparing patients without (Gray bars) and with (Black bars) autoimmune markers. Upper panel shows findings of portal hypertensive gastropathy and lower panel shows findings of esophageal varices.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Histological findings comparing patients without (Gray bars) and with (black bars) autoimmune markers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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