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Outcome of COVID‐19 in Patients With Autoimmune Hepatitis: An International Multicenter Study
Author(s) -
Efe Cumali,
Dhanasekaran Renumathy,
Lammert Craig,
Ebik Berat,
Higuerade la Tijera Fatima,
Aloman Costica,
Rıza Calışkan Ali,
Peralta Mirta,
Gerussi Alessio,
Massoumi Hatef,
Catana Andreea M.,
Torgutalp Murat,
Purnak Tugrul,
Rigamonti Cristina,
Gomez Aldana Andres Jose,
Khakoo Nidah,
Kacmaz Hüseyin,
Nazal Leyla,
Frager Shalom,
Demir Nurhan,
Irak Kader,
Ellik Zeynep Melekoğlu,
Balaban Yasemin,
Atay Kadri,
Eren Fatih,
Cristoferi Laura,
Batıbay Ersin,
Urzua Álvaro,
Snijders Romee,
Kıyıcı Murat,
Akyıldız Murat,
Ekin Nazım,
Carr Rotonya M.,
Harputluoğlu Murat,
Hatemi Ibrahim,
Mendizabal Manuel,
Silva Marcelo,
Idilman Ramazan,
Silveira Marina,
Drenth Joost P.H.,
Assis David N.,
Björnsson Einar,
Boyer James L.,
Invernizzi Pietro,
Levy Cynthia,
Schiano Thomas D.,
Ridruejo Ezequiel,
Wahlin Staffan
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1002/hep.31797
Subject(s) - medicine , autoimmune hepatitis , gastroenterology , immunosuppression , retrospective cohort study , liver injury , covid-19 , cirrhosis , liver transplantation , mechanical ventilation , hepatitis , transplantation , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Background and Aims Data regarding outcome of COVID‐19 in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are lacking. Approach and Results We performed a retrospective study on patients with AIH and COVID‐19 from 34 centers in Europe and the Americas. We analyzed factors associated with severe COVID‐19 outcomes, defined as the need for mechanical ventilation, intensive care admission, and/or death. The outcomes of patients with AIH were compared to a propensity score–matched cohort of patients without AIH but with chronic liver diseases (CLD) and COVID‐19. The frequency and clinical significance of new‐onset liver injury (alanine aminotransferase > 2 × the upper limit of normal) during COVID‐19 was also evaluated. We included 110 patients with AIH (80% female) with a median age of 49 (range, 18‐85) years at COVID‐19 diagnosis. New‐onset liver injury was observed in 37.1% (33/89) of the patients. Use of antivirals was associated with liver injury ( P = 0.041; OR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.05‐10.78), while continued immunosuppression during COVID‐19 was associated with a lower rate of liver injury ( P = 0.009; OR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.09‐0.71). The rates of severe COVID‐19 (15.5% versus 20.2%, P = 0.231) and all‐cause mortality (10% versus 11.5%, P = 0.852) were not different between AIH and non‐AIH CLD. Cirrhosis was an independent predictor of severe COVID‐19 in patients with AIH ( P < 0.001; OR, 17.46; 95% CI, 4.22‐72.13). Continuation of immunosuppression or presence of liver injury during COVID‐19 was not associated with severe COVID‐19. Conclusions This international, multicenter study reveals that patients with AIH were not at risk for worse outcomes with COVID‐19 than other causes of CLD. Cirrhosis was the strongest predictor for severe COVID‐19 in patients with AIH. Maintenance of immunosuppression during COVID‐19 was not associated with increased risk for severe COVID‐19 but did lower the risk for new‐onset liver injury during COVID‐19.