Abstract
BACKGROUND: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic liver disease in which the immune system of the body unintentionally targets liver cells, resulting in inflammation, liver damage, and cirrhosis if treatment is not received. Although the precise origin of AIH remains unknown, experts believe that environmental and genetic factors play significant roles in its pathogenesis. This study describes the clinical, biochemical, and long-term outcomes of patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) at the Science and Technology Hospital in Sana'a, Yemen. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective, single-center study. PARTICIPANTS: All patients with AIH diagnosed at the Science and Technology Hospital between 2019 and 2024 were included. RESULTS: Most patients were male (18 of 25, 72%). All patients displayed common signs and symptoms of AIH, including hepatomegaly, vomiting, jaundice, and abdominal distention. In addition to positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-smooth muscle antibodies (ASMA), the majority of individuals showed increased AST levels. The most prevalent hematological abnormalities were thrombocytopenia (64%) and anemia (56%). Regarding the outcome after hospital admission, 60% of cases improved, 12% were discharged against medical advice, 8% died, and 20% had unknown outcomes. CONCLUSION: Autoimmune hepatitis affects patients of Yemeni descent. The most common symptom is jaundice. Only Type I AIH was observed in this cohort, and the mortality rate reached 8%.