Prevalence and heterogeneity of antinuclear antibody patterns in adult Italian patients with autoimmune liver diseases: Our experience

Clin Chim Acta. 2025 Jan 30:566:120037. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2024.120037. Epub 2024 Nov 10.

Abstract

Background and aim: This study aims to explore the clinical significance of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) patterns in liver diseases.

Materials and methods: We included 396 patients with a request for ANA testing for suspected autoimmune liver disease (AILD). For each patient, we collected demographical, clinical, and laboratory data.

Results: Among the patients, 33% had AILD, predominantly aiutoimmune hepatitis (AIH). The AC1 pattern was significantly more prevalent in AIH patients, while the AC21 pattern was strongly associated with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). AC4-AC5 patterns were less frequent in AIH and PBC patients but more common in non-alcoholic hepatitis. Elevated alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels were observed in AILD patients with AC11, AC12, and AC21 patterns.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the different distribution of ANA patterns in liver diseases, with specific patterns showing strong associations with distinct liver conditions.

Keywords: ANA; Hepatopathy; Liver.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear* / blood
  • Autoimmune Diseases / blood
  • Autoimmune Diseases / diagnosis
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology
  • Female
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / blood
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / diagnosis
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis, Autoimmune / immunology
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Liver Diseases* / blood
  • Liver Diseases* / epidemiology
  • Liver Diseases* / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear