Health-related quality of life in patients with autoimmune hepatitis

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare chronic liver disease. Impaired health-related quality of life (HRQL) contributes to the overall disease burden. At current, only limited data related to the impact of treatment response on HRQL are available.

The aim of the study was to determine the impact of biochemical remission on HRQL.

Patients with AIH were prospectively enrolled between July 2018 and June 2019. A liver disease-specific tool, the chronic liver disease questionnaire (CLDQ) and the generic EQ-5D-5L were used to quantify HRQL. Treatment response was assessed biochemically by measurement of immunoglobulin G, ALT and AST. The cohort was divided into two groups according to their biochemical remission status in either complete vs. incomplete remission. Clinical as well as laboratory parameters and comorbidities were analysed using univariable and multivariable analysis to identify predictors of poor HRQL.

A total of 116 AIH patients were included (median age: 55; 77.6% female), of which 9.5% had liver cirrhosis. In this cohort, 38 (38.4%) showed a complete and 61 (61.6%) an incomplete biochemical remission at study entry. The HRQL was significantly higher in patients with a complete as compared to an incomplete biochemical remission (CLDQ overall score: 5.66 ± 1.15 vs. 5.10 ± 1.35; p = 0.03). In contrast, the generic EQ-5D-5L UI-value was not different between the groups. Multivariable analysis identified AST (p = 0.02) and an incomplete biochemical remission (p = 0.04) as independent predictors of reduced HRQL (CLDQ total value).

Patients with a complete biochemical remission had a significantly higher HRQL. Liver-related quality of life in patients living with AIH is dependent on the response to immunosuppressive treatment.