In a retrospective analysis published in "The European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology",

azathioprine monotherapy showed efficacy and safety for maintaining remission in children diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. Betul Aksoy et al. aimed to determine the efficacy of azathioprine monotherapy for maintenance therapy of 55 children (mean age 10.67 ± 4.30 years, 61.8% females) suffering from autoimmune hepatitis.

Participants were segregated into combination therapy and azathioprine groups on the basis of maintenance therapy. The mean follow-up period was 46.8 ± 33.6 months. The outcomes of these two different maintenance therapies were comparatively evaluated. For maintenance therapy, 16 (29.1%) people were given combination therapy and 39 (70.9%) people were given azathioprine. In the follow-up period, relapse was noted in 9 (19.6%) cases; 7 (7/39; 17.9%) were in the azathioprine arm, and 2 were in the combination therapy arm (2/16; 12.5%).

Compared to the combination therapy group, the azathioprine group exhibited a longer duration of remission (22.2 ± 6.1 months). Thus, azathioprine monotherapy might be used for maintenance therapy of pediatric autoimmune hepatitis (except in cases of overlap syndrome), for preventing adverse effects of long-term used steroids, and for improving therapeutic compliance in proper cases.