Liver histopathology and clinical features of autoimmune hepatitis with different antibody statuses
10.3969/j.issn.1001-5256.2022.12.012
- VernacularTitle:不同抗体状态的自身免疫性肝炎肝脏组织病理学与临床特征的比较
- Author:
Yuanjiao GAO
1
;
Yanjie LIN
2
;
Liu YANG
1
;
Xiaoyue BI
1
;
Wen DENG
1
;
Tingting JIANG
1
;
Fangfang SUN
1
;
Yao LU
1
;
Lu ZHANG
1
;
Minghui LI
1
,
2
;
Yao XIE
1
,
2
Author Information
1. Department of Hepatology Division 2, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China
2. Department of Hepatology Division 2, Peking University Ditan Teaching Hospital, Beijing 100015, China
- Publication Type:Original Articles_Autoimmune Liver Diseases
- Keywords:
Hepatitis, Autoimmune;
Pathology, Clinical;
Autoantibodies
- From:
Journal of Clinical Hepatology
2022;38(12):2744-2749
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective To compare clinical and pathological features between autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) patients with positive and negative autoantibodies, and to summarize the experience in diagnosis. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the patients who attended Beijing Ditan Hospital from January 2010 to August 2021 and were diagnosed with AIH by liver histopathology, and according to the presence or absence of autoantibodies, they were divided into positive autoantibody group and negative autoantibody group. The two groups were compared in terms of biochemical parameters, immunological features, histopathological features, disease stage, and clinical symptoms and signs. The t -test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups, and the chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data. Results A total of 110 patients were enrolled, among whom 78 (71%) had positive autoantibodies and 32 (29%) had negative autoantibodies. Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), anti-mitochondrial antibody (AMA), and anti-smooth muscle antibody (ASMA) were the main autoantibodies detected, and of all 110 patients, 74 (67.27%) had positive ANA, 1 (0.91%) had positive AMA, 5 (4.55%) had positive ASMA, and 14 (12.73%) had positive anti-Ro-52 antibody. As for clinical and immunological features, compared with the positive autoantibody group, the negative autoantibody group had significantly lower incidence rates of jaundice of the skin and sclera (21.90% vs 50.00%, χ 2 =7.377, P =0.007) and poor appetite (18.80% vs 41.00%, χ 2 =4.979, P =0.026) and significantly lower median levels of direct bilirubin [7.30(4.05~12.10) μmol/L vs 16.80(6.48~69.75) μmol/L, Z =-2.304, P =0.021], IgG [16.40(13.15~18.05) g/L vs 20.30(16.00~27.15) g/L, Z =-2.715, P =0.007], and GLo [30.60(26.00~34.90) g/L vs 37.30(30.50~42.50) g/L, Z =-3.356, P =0.001]. In terms of liver histopathology, compared with the negative autoantibody group, the positive autoantibody group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with lymphocyte infiltration (91.03% vs 68.75%, χ 2 =6.997, P =0.008) and plasma cell infiltration (82.05% vs 50.00%, χ 2 =11.572, P =0.001); compared with the ANA-negative patients, the ANA-positive patients had significantly higher inflammation grade (G1-G4) (9.46%/16.22%/44.59%/29.73% vs 5.56%/27.78%/63.89%/2.78%, Z =-2.179, P =0.029) and fibrosis degree (S1-S4) (37.84%/25.68%/32.43%/4.05% vs 13.89%/41.67%/30.56%/13.89%, Z =-0.082, P =0.037). Conclusion Compared with AIH patients with positive autoantibodies, AIH patients with negative autoantibodies are mostly in the early stage of the disease and tend to have a low level of IgG, with a relatively high rate of missed diagnosis in clinical practice. Early and active liver biopsy is of particular importance.
