The prevalence and disease course of autoimmune liver diseases in Greenland.
Int J Circumpolar Health
; 83(1): 2327693, 2024 Dec.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38465864
ABSTRACT
Autoimmune liver diseases are rare serious diseases causing chronic inflammation and fibrosis in the liver parenchyma and bile ducts. Yet, the prevalence and burden of autoimmune liver diseases are largely unexplored in Arctic native populations. We investigated the prevalence and management of autoimmune liver diseases in Greenland using nationwide cross-sectional register data and subsequent medical chart reviews validating diagnoses and extracting liver histology examinations and medical treatments. The overall prevalence of autoimmune liver diseases in Greenland was 24.6 per 100,000 (95% CI 14.7-41.3). This was based on 7 patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) (12.3 per 100,000), 3 patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) (5.3 per 100,000), 4 patients with AIH/PBC overlap disease (7.0 per 100,000), and no patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. All diagnoses were confirmed by liver histology examinations. Medical treatments adhered to internal recommendations and induced complete remission in most patients with AIH, and complete or partial remission in 1 patient with PBC and 3 patients with AIH/PBC overlap disease. One patient had established cirrhosis at the time of diagnosis, while 2 patients progressed to cirrhosis. In conclusion, the prevalence of autoimmune liver diseases was lower in Greenland than in Scandinavia and among Alaska Inuit.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Cholangitis, Sclerosing
/
Hepatitis, Autoimmune
/
Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary
/
Liver Diseases
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
/
Europa
Language:
En
Journal:
Int J Circumpolar Health
Journal subject:
MEDICINA
Year:
2024
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: