Efficacy and Safety of Glycyrrhizic Acid in Treatment of Autoimmune Hepatitis

To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of glycyrrhizic acid preparation and hormone treatment in patients with autoimmune hepatitis, we enrolled 377 patients in a study that lasted from January 2009 to January 2020. After performing propensity score matching, we included 58 patients in the hormone group and 58 in the glycyrrhizic acid preparation group in statistical analysis. We then compared the ratio of sustained biochemical responses at 48 weeks after treatment. Adverse events, including some incidence of decompensated liver cirrhosis and liver cancer, were evaluated. The results showed that a total of 61.8% of treated patients achieved complete biochemical remission. The cumulative biochemical remission rate in the hormone group and glycyrrhizic acid preparation group showed no significant difference (62.3% vs. 60.7%, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). At the end of follow-up, the total bile acid in the hormone group was significantly higher than that in the glycyrrhizic acid preparation group (8.9[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol/L vs. 5.6[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mol/L, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). The incidence of adverse reactions in the hormone group was significantly higher than that in the glycyrrhizic acid preparation group (31.03% vs. 15.52%, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]). In conclusion, compared with the hormone treatment, glycyrrhizic acid preparation might be a safe and effective treatment for autoimmune hepatitis.