{
  "abstract": "Background Vitamin D is essential to healthy immune system function, and deficiency has been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. 1 Its role in autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is unclear, but recent studies have linked severe deficiency to increased risk of disease flare, cirrhosis and mortality.2 3 Methods We analysed data from the prospectively recruited UKAIH cohort, for whom vitamin D, ALT, IgG and cirrhosis status were available at baseline (n=106), 12 months (n=75), or both (n=74).Biochemical remission was defined as both ALT and IgG below the upper limit of normal (ULN). For categorical analysis, vitamin D was sufficient (>20 ng/ml), insufficient (10–20 ng/ml) or deficient (<10 ng/ml), as per local laboratory values.Results 81/106 patients were female (76.4%); median age at diagnosis was 60.5 (18–83) years. All but 1 patient had abnormal ALT and/or IgG at time of diagnosis and 15 (14.1%) were cirrhotic. At 12 months from diagnosis (n=75), 49 (65.3%) were in complete biochemical remission.At diagnosis, 72 patients (67.9%) had inadequate vitamin D levels: 26 (24.5%) were vitamin D deficient, 46 (43.4%) insufficient, and 14 (32.1%) sufficient. At 12 months, 23 patients (30.7%) had inadequate vitamin D levels; 2 patients (2.7%) vitamin D deficient, 21 (28%) insufficient, and 52 (69.3%) sufficient.Table 1 summarises the results assessing associations between vitamin D status, ALT/IgG level, cirrhosis and biochemical remission status at 12 months. Median vitamin D at baseline was significantly lower in cirrhotic than non-cirrhotic patients (p=0.036). Vitamin D level was not associated with disease activity or remission status at 12-months of follow-up. Over 12 months, 1 patient newly developed cirrhosis, and 1 patient died.Abstract P37 Table 1Summary of associations between vitamin D level and markers of disease activity and severity at baseline and 12 months ALT IgG Cirrhosis at presentation (Y/N) Remission at 12 months (Y/N) % change in ALT %change in IgG Baseline 12 months Baseline 12 months Baseline Vitamin D (continuous) p=0.221a p=0.224a p=0.036b p=0.879b Vitamin D (categorical) p=0.379c p=0.236c p=0.239d p=0.384d 12 months Vitamin D (continuous) p=0.676a 0=0.442a p=0.876b Vitamin D (categorical) p=0.277c p=0.090c p=0.144d Comparative % change in vitamin D (baseline to 12 months) p=0.821b p=0.579a p=0.503a Legend: a=Spearman’s rank, b= Mann-Whitney U, c=Kruskal-Wallis, d=Chi-squareConclusion To our knowledge, this is the 1st study to report prospective, longitudinal vitamin D measurement in incident patients with AIH. Our data showed lower vitamin D levels in cirrhotic patients at AIH diagnosis. However, vitamin D deficiency is well-recognised in cirrhosis of all aetiologies. We did not identify associations between vitamin D status/absolute values with either disease activity or biochemical remission status. It would be valuable to study a larger patient cohort with longer follow-up to hard outcome measures to further examine if there is any potential for vitamin D as a disease modifier.References Athanassiou L, Kostoglou-Athanassiou I, Koutsilieris M, et al. Vitamin D and autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Biomolecules. 2023;13:709 [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2025 Jun 5];13(4):709.Kilani Y, Alsakarneh S, Madi MY, et al. Autoimmune hepatitis and vitamin D deficiency: a nationwide perspective. Aliment Pharmacol Ther [Internet]. 2025 [cited 2025 Mar 4];61(4):682–692.Ebadi M, Bhanji RA, Mazurak VC, et al. Severe vitamin D deficiency is a prognostic biomarker in autoimmune hepatitis. Aliment Pharmacol Ther [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2025 Apr 23];49(2):173–182.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Liver Unit, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK",
        "Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Abhishek Gairola"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Hepatology, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Lin Lee Wong"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Liver Unit, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK",
        "Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Jeremy Palmer"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Oxford Liver Unit, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK",
        "University of Oxford, Oxford, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Emma Culver"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Liver Unit, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK",
        "Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "George Mells"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Liver Unit, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK",
        "Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "David Jones"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Liver Unit, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, UK",
        "Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Jessica Dyson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Centre for Liver and Gastroenterology research, Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK",
        "NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, University of Birmingham and University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK",
        "Centre for Rare Diseases, European Reference Network on Hepatological Diseases centre, Birmingham, UK",
        "UKAIH Consortium, Newcastle, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Ye Oo"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P37 Assessing the impact of vitamin D status on disease status over 12 months in patients newly diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis",
  "uid": "b9c0c293-6f20-5797-96dd-72b2b391274b"
}