Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Hepatitis Associated with Catha edulis Consumption-A Single-Center Study

Someili, Ali ; Mohrag, Mostafa and Abdulrasak, Mohammed LU (2025) In Journal of Clinical Medicine 14(4). p.1-11
Abstract

Background/Objectives:Catha edulis, also known as Khat, is a stimulant with hepatotoxic properties. Studies reporting laboratory patterns are scarce. The aim was to assess the patterns associated with hepatic dysfunction due to Khat usage. Methods: Patients with liver injury and self-reported Khat consumption presenting to the gastroenterology department at the King Fahad Central Hospital in Jazan between January 2017-May 2024 were retrospectively included in the study. Patients with any signs of cirrhosis or viral hepatitis were excluded to have a more homogenous inclusion. Normal distribution was not assumed; data were presented as the median (IQR or %). Results: Sixty-three patients (of which 62 (98.4%) were male) aged 35 (29-41)... (More)

Background/Objectives:Catha edulis, also known as Khat, is a stimulant with hepatotoxic properties. Studies reporting laboratory patterns are scarce. The aim was to assess the patterns associated with hepatic dysfunction due to Khat usage. Methods: Patients with liver injury and self-reported Khat consumption presenting to the gastroenterology department at the King Fahad Central Hospital in Jazan between January 2017-May 2024 were retrospectively included in the study. Patients with any signs of cirrhosis or viral hepatitis were excluded to have a more homogenous inclusion. Normal distribution was not assumed; data were presented as the median (IQR or %). Results: Sixty-three patients (of which 62 (98.4%) were male) aged 35 (29-41) years were included in the study. An IgG > 20 g/L was present in 41 (61.5%) patients, and the majority (n = 48, 76.2%) had a hepatocellular injury pattern based on an R-factor > 5. Over half of the patients had at least one positive autoantibody(ANA 47.6%; SMA 55.6% and AMA 4.8%), while 57 (90.5%) patients received immunosuppressive therapy. Conclusions: Khat-induced liver injury seems to be predominantly AIH-like in nature, given the IgG elevation, hepatocellular injury pattern, and relatively high rate of autoantibody positivity.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of Clinical Medicine
volume
14
issue
4
article number
1206
pages
1 - 11
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85218887005
  • pmid:40004737
ISSN
2077-0383
DOI
10.3390/jcm14041206
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
eda44053-06cd-4e87-b3ba-77af09b2ef12
date added to LUP
2025-02-26 19:43:34
date last changed
2025-05-12 05:07:34
@article{eda44053-06cd-4e87-b3ba-77af09b2ef12,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background/Objectives:Catha edulis, also known as Khat, is a stimulant with hepatotoxic properties. Studies reporting laboratory patterns are scarce. The aim was to assess the patterns associated with hepatic dysfunction due to Khat usage. Methods: Patients with liver injury and self-reported Khat consumption presenting to the gastroenterology department at the King Fahad Central Hospital in Jazan between January 2017-May 2024 were retrospectively included in the study. Patients with any signs of cirrhosis or viral hepatitis were excluded to have a more homogenous inclusion. Normal distribution was not assumed; data were presented as the median (IQR or %). Results: Sixty-three patients (of which 62 (98.4%) were male) aged 35 (29-41) years were included in the study. An IgG &gt; 20 g/L was present in 41 (61.5%) patients, and the majority (n = 48, 76.2%) had a hepatocellular injury pattern based on an R-factor &gt; 5. Over half of the patients had at least one positive autoantibody(ANA 47.6%; SMA 55.6% and AMA 4.8%), while 57 (90.5%) patients received immunosuppressive therapy. Conclusions: Khat-induced liver injury seems to be predominantly AIH-like in nature, given the IgG elevation, hepatocellular injury pattern, and relatively high rate of autoantibody positivity.</p>}},
  author       = {{Someili, Ali and Mohrag, Mostafa and Abdulrasak, Mohammed}},
  issn         = {{2077-0383}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{1--11}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Journal of Clinical Medicine}},
  title        = {{Hepatitis Associated with Catha edulis Consumption-A Single-Center Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm14041206}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/jcm14041206}},
  volume       = {{14}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}