Outcome of COVID-19 in patients with autoimmune hepatitis: an international multi-centre study

Abstract

Background: data regarding outcome of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) are lacking. Patients and methods: we performed a retrospective study on AIH patients with COVID-19 from 34 centres 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 non-AIH patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD) and COVID-19. The frequency and clinical significance of new-onset liver injury (alanine aminotransferase>2xupper limit of normal) during COVID-19 was also evaluated. Results: we included 110 AIH patients (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; odds ratio (OR) 3.36[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[0.09-0.71]). The rates of severe COVID-19 (15.5% vs 20.2% p=0.231) and all-cause mortality (10% vs 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[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, multi-center 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 AIH patients. 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.