Autoimmune hepatitis in young Somalian men – experience from a German tertiary care center

Abstract

Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare liver disease predominantly affecting women. Data on AIH in African patients is rare. A previous study from the UK reported an unusual form of AIH in Somalian patients. Methods: To examine whether this form of AIH can also be found in Germany, we screened the database of a major tertiary liver transplantation center. Results and conclusions: Among 17 Somalian patients presenting to our hospital between 2008 and 2021 three male patients were admitted with liver disease. All three of them were diagnosed with AIH. Here, we present the clinical courses highlighting diagnostic challenges and the particular severity of liver disease. These cases emphasize the need to consider AIH as an important differential diagnosis in Somalian patients presenting with new onset of hepatopathy.