Ramy Younes1,2, Olivier Govaere2, Salvatore Petta3, Luca Miele4,5, Dina Tiniakos2, Alastair Burt2, Ezio David6, Fabio M Vecchio4,7, Marco Maggioni8, Daniela Cabibi9, Anna L Fracanzani10, Chiara Rosso1, Maria J Garcia Blanco11, Angelo Armandi1, Gian Paolo Caviglia1, Marco Y W Zaki2,12, Antonio Liguori4, Paolo Francione10, Grazia Pennisi3, Antonio Grieco4,5, Luca Valenti13, Quentin M Anstee2,14, Elisabetta Bugianesi1. 1. Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, A.O. Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. 2. The Newcastle Liver Research Group, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. 3. Sezione di Gastroenterologia, Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Università di Palermo, Palermo, Italy. 4. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy. 5. Area Medicina Interna, Gastroenterologia e Oncologia Medica, Fondazione Policlinico A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 6. Department of Pathology, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, University of Turin, Turin, Italy. 7. Area Anatomia Patologica, Fondazione Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy. 8. Department of Pathology, Ca' Granda IRCCS Foundation, Milan, Italy. 9. Pathology Institute, PROMISE, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy. 10. Unit of Medicine and Metabolic Disease, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Ca' Granda IRCCS Foundation, Policlinico Hospital, University of Milan, Milan, Italy. 11. Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Medicina Interna, Madrid, Spain. 12. Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Minia University, Minya, Egypt. 13. Translational Medicine, Department of Transfusion Medicine and Hematology, Fondazione IRCCS C'a Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy. 14. Newcastle NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: We investigated the longitudinal impact of antinuclear antibody (ANA) on clinical outcomes and survival in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: ANA were found in 16.9% of 923 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients, but none of them had histologic autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) or developed AIH after a mean follow-up of 106±50 months. RESULTS: Although ANA-positive cases had a higher prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis at baseline, the occurrence of liver-related events, hepatocellula carcinoma, cardiovascular events, extrahepatic malignancy, and overall survival were similar to ANA-negative. DISCUSSION: Once AIH has been ruled out, the long-term outcomes and survival are unaffected by the presence of ANA in patients with NAFLD.
INTRODUCTION: We investigated the longitudinal impact of antinuclear antibody (ANA) on clinical outcomes and survival in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). METHODS: ANA were found in 16.9% of 923 biopsy-proven NAFLD patients, but none of them had histologic autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) or developed AIH after a mean follow-up of 106±50 months. RESULTS: Although ANA-positive cases had a higher prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis at baseline, the occurrence of liver-related events, hepatocellula carcinoma, cardiovascular events, extrahepatic malignancy, and overall survival were similar to ANA-negative. DISCUSSION: Once AIH has been ruled out, the long-term outcomes and survival are unaffected by the presence of ANA in patients with NAFLD.