Autoimmune Hepatitis-Like Syndrome Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVES: During the summer of 2021, case reports began to emerge documenting a small number of individuals who developed autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) following COVID-19 vaccination. These cases are rare and novel, and very little is known. In our systematic review, we analyzed every published case of AIH and reviewed their characteristic findings, treatment, and outcomes. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from December 1, 2019, to November 1, 2021. Two researchers independently extracted information from the articles about vaccine type, patient history, laboratory values, histology results, treatment regimens, and disease course. RESULTS: Thirty-two patients developed AIH-like syndromes after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. Jaundice was the most frequently reported symptom (81%), and 19% of patients were initially asymptomatic and presented with elevated liver enzymes found during routine bloodwork. Mean alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and total bilirubin were 1231 U/L, 921 U/L, and 14 mg/dL, respectively. Anti-nuclear antibody was positive in 56%, and anti-smooth muscle antibody in 28% of patients. Steroids were used in 75% of patients. Improvement or complete resolution was seen in 97% of patients. One patient died despite aggressive steroid treatment. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 vaccine-induced AIH is an uncommon association with just 32 documented cases in the literature. Clinicians should be vigilant for AIH in patients who present with liver injury following vaccination. These new findings should under not deter individuals from getting vaccinated, as the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the risks. Fortunately, COVID-19 vaccine-induced AIH appears amendable to corticosteroid therapy and appears to have a favorable outcome.

[COVID-19 as a trigger of autoimmune hepatitis. Case report].

Over the past two years, the entire medical community has taken up the fight against the new coronavirus infection. At the initial encounter with COVID-19, it seemed that this virus mainly affects the respiratory system. Still, with long-term observation, it turned out that the consequences of this disease can be much more severe and associated with lung damage and thromboembolic complications, and be a trigger for autoimmune diseases. According to the literature, after suffering COVID-19, some patients debuted systemic lupus erythematosus, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, developed GuillainBarr syndrome, vasculitis, and multiple sclerosis, and a case of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) was described in foreign literature. AIH is a fairly rare disease, the prevalence of which in Europe is 1618 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, affecting mainly women. It is known that chemicals and drugs (minocycline, diclofenac, methyldopa, infliximab, etanercept), viruses (HAV, HEV, EBV, HCV, CMV), environmental factors can serve as triggers of the autoimmune process in the liver. This article presents two clinical cases of AIH that developed after suffering a new coronavirus infection, which we consider as the initial provoking factor of autoimmune inflammation. Given the rarity of AIH, the description of new triggers is of clinical interest. It may be useful for doctors of different specialties since they faced drug-induced liver damage against the background of antiviral and immunobiological therapy. In the domestic literature, there have not yet been any publications devoted to the debut of AIH in adults after coronavirus infection.

[Autoimmune Hepatitis - What is important for clinical practice?] / Autoimmune Hepatitis ­ Was ist wichtig für die Praxis?

Autoimmune hepatitis is a rare but chronic autoimmune-mediated liver disease. Key features are elevated transaminases, hypergammaglobulinemia, presence of specific autoantibodies and typical histological features. Diagnostic scores are helpful in establishing the diagnosis. Immunosuppressive therapy should be initiated in every patient with inflammatory activity. First-line therapy includes steroids and azathioprine and results in biochemical and histological remission in the majority of patients. In most cases, lifelong therapy is required. Every patient should receive regular follow-up surveillance including biochemical parameters as well as sonography and elastography.

Autoimmune Hepatitis Following Vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 in Korea: Coincidence or Autoimmunity?

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic, autoimmune disease of the liver that occurs when the body's immune system attacks liver cells, causing the liver to be inflamed. AIH is one of the manifestations of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as well as an adverse event occurring after vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Few cases of AIH have been described after vaccination with two messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccines-BTN162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna)-against SARS-CoV-2. Herein, we report a case of AIH occurring after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. A 27-year-old female presented with jaundice and hepatomegaly, appearing 14 days after receiving the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Her laboratory results showed abnormal liver function with high total immunoglobulin G level. She was diagnosed with AIH with histologic finding and successfully treated with oral prednisolone. We report an AIH case after COVID-19 vaccination in Korea.