Host-Diet-Gut Interaction Post Vegan Diet in Pediatric Autoimmune Hepatitis.

Hypothesis/Research Question: 1. P = Population/Patient/Problem - Pediatric patients (\< 18 years of age) with Autoimmune Hepatitis 2. I = Intervention -Vegan diet for 180 days (in addition of standard immunosuppressive medical therapy) 3. C = Comparison - Standard High Protein diet for 180 days (in addition of standard immunosuppressivemedical therapy) 4. O = Outcome - Proportion of subjects achieving biochemical remission; change in stool metagenome/metabolome/cytokines, gut epithelial barrier function, and liver disease severity scores between the two study groups. Methodology: Place: Department of Pediatric Hepatology \&Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi * Study design: Prospective, Randomized, Single center, Open label study * Study period: October 2024 to October 2027 Details of the diets (Vegan diet and Standard High Protein diet) Vegan diet would be defined as a diet based solely of plant products with exclusion of all animal products including meat, fish, dairy, honey and eggs. * Additional supplementation of vitamin B12 (500 µg/day) in the vegan diet group along with calcium (50-75 mg/kg/day), vitamin D (800-1600 IU/day) and iron supplementation (3-6 mg/kg/day) as per requirement. * Monitoring- Based on vitamin B12 levels, 25(OH) vitamin D3 levels, serum calcium, and serum iron studies (complete hemogram, ferritin, iron, transferrin saturation, total iron binding capacity).