Gender and Autoimmune Liver Diseases: Relevant Aspects in Clinical Practice

Autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. The etiologies of AILD are not well understood but appear to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. AILDs commonly affect young individuals and are characterized by a highly variable clinical course. These diseases significantly influence quality of life and can progress toward liver decompensation or the onset of hepatocellular or cholangiocarcinoma; a significant number of patients eventually progress to end-stage liver disease, requiring liver transplantation. In this review, we focus on the sex characteristics and peculiarities of AILD patients and highlight the relevance of a sex-specific analysis in future studies. Understanding the sex differences underlying AILD immune dysregulation may be critical for developing more effective treatments.

Automated summary

Autoimmune liver diseases (AILDs) include autoimmune hepatitis, primary biliary cholangitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis. The etiology of AILD is not well understood but is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. AILDs commonly affect young individuals and have a highly variable clinical course. They significantly impact quality of life and can progress to liver decompensation, hepatocellular or cholangiocarcinoma, and end-stage liver disease requiring transplantation. This review highlights the importance of considering sex characteristics and conducting sex-specific analysis in future studies for better understanding and treatment development of AILD.