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. 2024 Dec;83(1):2327693.
doi: 10.1080/22423982.2024.2327693. Epub 2024 Mar 11.

The prevalence and disease course of autoimmune liver diseases in Greenland

Rasmus Hvidbjerg Gantzel  1   2   3   4 , Carina Nørskov Bagge  1   5 , Gerda Elisabeth Villadsen  2   3 , Karsten Fleischer Rex  6 , Henning Grønbæk  2   3 , Michael Lynge Pedersen  1   7
Affiliations

The prevalence and disease course of autoimmune liver diseases in Greenland

Rasmus Hvidbjerg Gantzel et al. Int J Circumpolar Health. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

Autoimmune liver diseases are rare serious diseases causing chronic inflammation and fibrosis in the liver parenchyma and bile ducts. Yet, the prevalence and burden of autoimmune liver diseases are largely unexplored in Arctic native populations. We investigated the prevalence and management of autoimmune liver diseases in Greenland using nationwide cross-sectional register data and subsequent medical chart reviews validating diagnoses and extracting liver histology examinations and medical treatments. The overall prevalence of autoimmune liver diseases in Greenland was 24.6 per 100,000 (95% CI: 14.7-41.3). This was based on 7 patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) (12.3 per 100,000), 3 patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) (5.3 per 100,000), 4 patients with AIH/PBC overlap disease (7.0 per 100,000), and no patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. All diagnoses were confirmed by liver histology examinations. Medical treatments adhered to internal recommendations and induced complete remission in most patients with AIH, and complete or partial remission in 1 patient with PBC and 3 patients with AIH/PBC overlap disease. One patient had established cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis, while 2 patients progressed to cirrhosis. In conclusion, the prevalence of autoimmune liver diseases was lower in Greenland than in Scandinavia and among Alaska Inuit.

Keywords: Arctic; Greenland; Inuit; autoimmune hepatitis; autoimmune liver disease; primary biliary cholangitis; primary sclerosing cholangitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Henning Grønbæk reports: Research grants (AbbVie, Intercept, ARLA Food for Health, ADS AIPHIA Development Services AG); Consulting Fees (Ipsen, NOVO, Pfizer); Lecturer (AstraZeneca, EISAI); Data Monitoring Committee (CAMURUS AB).

The other authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart of in- and exclusions.
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