Liver injury after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: Features of immune-mediated
Title:
Liver injury after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: Features of immune-mediated;
hepatitis, role of corticosteroid therapy and outcome
Efe, C; Kulkarni, AV; Beretta-Piccoli, BT; Magro, B; Stattermayer, AF; Cengiz, M; Clayton-Chubb, D; Lammert, C; Bernsmeier, C; Gul, O; Higuera-de la Tijera, FH; Anders, M; Lytvyak, E; Akin, M; Purnak, T; Liberal, R; Peralta, M; Ebik, B; Duman, S; Demir, N; Balaban, Y; Urzua, A; Contreras, F; Venturelli, MG; Bilgic, Y; Medina, A; Girala, M; Gunsar, F; Londono, MC; Androutsakos, T; Kisch, A; Yurci, A; Guzelbult, F; Cagin, YF; Avci, E; Guzelbulut, M; Dindar-Demiray, EK; Harputluoglu, M; Kumar, R; Satapathy, SK; Mendizabal, M; Silva, M; Fagiuoli, S; Roberts, SK; Soylu, NK; Idilman, R; Yoshida, EM; Montano-Loza, AJ; Dalekos, GN; Ridruejo, E; Schiano, TD; Wahlin, S
Date:
2022
Abstract:
Background and Aims A few case reports of autoimmune hepatitis-like liver injury have been reported after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination. We evaluated clinical features, treatment response and outcomes of liver injury following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in a large case series. Approach and Results We collected data from cases in 18 countries. The type of liver injury was assessed with the R-value. The study population was categorized according to features of immune-mediated hepatitis (positive autoantibodies and elevated immunoglobulin G levels) and corticosteroid therapy for the liver injury. We identified 87 patients (63%, female), median age 48 (range: 18-79) years at presentation. Liver injury was diagnosed a median 15 (range: 3-65) days after vaccination. Fifty-one cases (59%) were attributed to the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine, 20 (23%) cases to the Oxford-AstraZeneca (ChAdOX1 nCoV-19) vaccine and 16 (18%) cases to the Moderna (mRNA-1273) vaccine. The liver injury was predominantly hepatocellular (84%) and 57% of patients showed features of immune-mediated hepatitis. Corticosteroids were given to 46 (53%) patients, more often for grade 3-4 liver injury than for grade 1-2 liver injury (88.9% vs. 43.5%, p = 0.001) and more often for patients with than without immune-mediated hepatitis (71.1% vs. 38.2%, p = 0.003). All patients showed resolution of liver injury except for one man (1.1%) who developed liver failure and underwent liver transplantation. Steroid therapy was withdrawn during the observation period in 12 (26%) patients after complete biochemical resolution. None had a relapse during follow-up. Conclusions SARS-CoV-2 vaccination can be associated with liver injury. Corticosteroid therapy may be beneficial in those with immune-mediated features or severe hepatitis. Outcome was generally favorable, but vaccine-associated liver injury led to fulminant liver failure in one patient.
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