HEPATOTOXICITY OF ANALGESICS AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS

The Prescription Pattern of Acetaminophen and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Analgesics, known to be hepatotoxic drugs, are frequently prescribed to patients with liver cirrhosis who are prone to drug-induced liver injury. No guidelines are available regarding the prescription of analgesics in these patients. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the prescription pattern of most frequently used analgesics in patients with cirrhosis. We assessed the prescription pattern of acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in patients with liver cirrhosis registered in Health Insurance Review Assessment Service database between January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012. A total of 125,505 patients with liver cirrhosis were registered from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Of that group, 50,798 (40.5%) patients claimed reimbursement for at least one prescription for acetaminophen or NSAIDs during the one year follow-up period. Overall, NSAIDs (82.7%) were more prescribed than acetaminophen (64.5%). NSAIDs were more prescribed than acetaminophen even in decompensated cirrhosis compared with compensated cirrhosis (71.5% vs. 68.8%, P value < 0.001). There was a marked difference in prescription preference between acetaminophen and NSAIDs among physicians. Internists more frequently prescribed acetaminophen than NSAIDs compared to other physicians (50.9% vs. 76.2%, P < 0.001). Gastroenterologists more frequently prescribed acetaminophen over NSAIDs compared to other internists (80.9% vs. 51.2%, P < 0.001). Analgesics were prescribed in 40.5% of patients with cirrhosis. NSAIDs were more frequently prescribed although they should be avoided. The prescription pattern of analgesics were different significantly among physicians in patients with liver cirrhosis. The harmful effects of NSAIDs in patients with cirrhosis should be reminded to all physicians prescribing analgesics.

Blood alanine aminotransferase levels >1,000 IU/l - causes and outcomes

Standard medical education dictates that the vast majority of cases of an alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level >1,000 IU/l will be due to acute ischaemia, acute drug-induced liver injury (DILI) (usually paracetamol) or acute viral hepatitis. There are very few references in the literature to other potential causes of an ALT >1,000 IU/l nor to the prognosis ascribed to each aetiology. In this study, we have confirmed that the main causes of a dramatic ALT rise are ischaemic liver injury, DILI and viral hepatitis. Common bile duct stones and hepatitis E are two causes for which there needs to be a high index of suspicion as the necessary tests may not be in the clinician's first-line investigation panel. Failing to find a cause and determining that the cause was ischaemic both have poor prognostic implications.

Ibuprofen-induced hypersensitivity syndrome

Ibuprofen is a widely used antipyretic and analgesic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID). With the aging of the population, there will be a significant increase in the prevalence of painful degenerative and inflammatory rheumatic conditions. This increase likely will lead to a parallel increase in the use of NSAIDs, including ibuprofen. The primary effect of the NSAIDs is to inhibit cyclooxygenase (prostaglandin synthase), thereby impairing the ultimate transformation of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins, prostacyclin, and thromboxanes. Although in the majority of cases it is safe, this NSAID, ibuprofen, can produce an unpredictable, idiosyncratic, type B reaction that may pose a major concern in clinical practice. Type B reactions are known to occur in susceptible individuals. The true hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) is a systemic disease defined by the triad of fever, rash, and internal organ involvement that starts 1 day to 12 weeks after the initiation of therapy. HSR has limited the therapeutic use of many drugs, including ibuprofen. Hypersensitivity syndrome associated with ibuprofen is a host-dependent drug reaction that is idiosyncratic in nature. This reaction likely is caused by a combination of metabolic and immunologic factors. Immune mediated components, such as T-cell and their products cytokines and chemokines, can exacerbate cellular responses and create complex pathways that lead to a variety of clinical manifestations. Our review presents an ibuprofen-induced clinical manifestation of hypersensitivity syndrome and the necessity of wisely monitoring the patients clinically and by laboratory investigations when prescribing this drug.

Use of over-the-counter analgesics is not associated with acute decompensation in patients with cirrhosis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Over-the-counter analgesics have been proposed to lead to decompensation of compensated cirrhosis or to further decompensation of an already decompensated patient. We performed a prospective, case-control study to investigate the effects of analgesics on acute hepatic decompensation.

METHODS

Data from consecutive cirrhotic patients hospitalized at 2 tertiary care hospitals for decompensation of cirrhosis (cases, n = 91) were compared with that from consecutive patients with compensated cirrhosis that were followed in the liver clinic (n = 153) and with randomly selected noncirrhotic patients concurrently hospitalized with the cases (n = 89). All patients were given a structured questionnaire to collect information on recent use of acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and alcohol.

RESULTS

Only 32 (35%) of the cirrhotic patients used over-the-counter analgesics (19% acetaminophen, 16% nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), compared with 80 of the cirrhotic controls (52%; 25% acetaminophen, 31% nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), and 62 (70%) of the noncirrhotic controls. Acetaminophen use did not differ between groups, even for those with recent alcohol use. The doses and days of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use were higher among cirrhotic patients, compared with controls. Alcohol ingestion was significantly greater among patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with cirrhosis, acetaminophen use at doses lower than those recommended is not associated with acute hepatic decompensation, even in patients with recent alcohol ingestion. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs might be associated with deleterious effects on cirrhosis. Alcohol ingestion is associated with decompensation in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis.

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: a review

The increasing use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in small animals has resulted in the development of new and innovative additions to this class of drugs. Examples of NSAIDs now available for use in small animals include aspirin, etodolac, carprofen, ketoprofen, meloxicam, deracoxib, and tepoxalin. The purposes of this article are to review the pathophysiology of prostaglandin synthesis and inhibition, the mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetics, pharmacological effects, and potential adverse reactions of aspirin and the newly released NSAIDs.

Diclofenac potassium 12.5mg tablets for mild to moderate pain and fever: a review of its pharmacology, clinical efficacy and safety

Non-prescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) analgesics are used for the short-term treatment of acute painful conditions of mild to moderate intensity in everyday life. Well documented safety and efficacy, a rapid onset of action and a flexible daily dosing regimen are essential in this context. Film-coated, immediate-release, low-dose diclofenac potassium, developed for OTC use, offers a flexible daily dosing regimen with an initial dose of two tablets (2 x 12.5mg) followed by one or two tablets up to a maximum daily dose of six tablets (75 mg/day). The maximum plasma drug concentration is reached 30 minutes after administration, and the mean terminal half-life is 1-2 hours, allowing a 4- to 6-hour duration of activity, depending on the condition. Thirteen randomised, double-blind trials with both placebo and active controls have demonstrated the efficacy of diclofenac potassium 12.5mg tablets in conditions suitable for treatment with OTC medication, for example, acute lower back pain, headache, acute pain after dental extraction, symptoms of cold and influenza (including fever), and dysmenorrhoea. A single dose of diclofenac potassium 12.5mg is the lowest recommended effective dose. A two-tablet single dose of 25mg is at least as effective as ibuprofen 400mg. A flexible dosing regimen of an initial two tablets followed by one or two tablets up to a total daily dose of 75 mg is as effective as ibuprofen used in comparable fashion up to a total daily dose of 1200 mg. The incidence of adverse events in patients taking single or multiple doses of diclofenac potassium is similar to that of ibuprofen and placebo. In a safety study conducted to compare diclofenac potassium with ibuprofen for up to 3 months in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, no differences in the pattern of adverse events were noted. There was no evidence of either hepatic injury or cardiovascular safety-related issues at any time during the study. Patients are generally capable of taking diclofenac potassium appropriately. A maximum OTC treatment duration of 5 days for pain and 3 days for fever is recommended.

Comparison of cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity and ocular anti-inflammatory effects of ketorolac tromethamine and bromfenac sodium

OBJECTIVE

To compare the cyclooxygenase (COX) activity and anti-inflammatory effects of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ketorolac tromethamine (ketorolac) and bromfenac sodium (bromfenac).

METHODS

Cyclooxygenase activity and selectivity was determined in vitro by measuring prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) production following incubation of varying concentrations of NSAID with human recombinant COX-1 or COX-2 and arachidonic acid. Anti-inflammatory effects were evaluated in a rabbit model in which an ocular inflammatory response was induced by intravenous injection of 10 microg/kg lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In study animals, one eye was treated with 50 microL (+/-) ketorolac 0.4% (Acular LS) or bromfenac 0.09% (Xibrom) and the other eye with 50 microL buffered saline. In control animals, both eyes were treated with vehicle. All animals were treated twice: 2 hours and 1 hour before LPS.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

PGE(2) production in vitro, measured by enzyme immunoassay; fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran leakage into the anterior chamber, measured by fluorophotometry; aqueous PGE(2) levels in vivo, measured by ELISA immunoassay.

RESULTS

Ketorolac was six times more active against COX-1 (IC(50) = 0.02 microM) than COX-2 (IC(50) = 0.12 microM) while bromfenac was approximately 32 times more active against COX-2 (IC(50) = 0.0066 microM) than COX-1 (IC(50) = 0.210 microM). In the animal model, both drugs resulted in nearly complete inhibition of FITC-dextran leakage and PGE(2) production in the anterior chamber of treated eyes. There was also a 79% inhibition (p < 0.001) of FITC-dextran leakage in the contralateral eyes of bromfenac-treated rabbits, and a 22.5% inhibition (not statistically significant) in the contralateral eyes of ketorolac-treated rabbits.

CONCLUSIONS

Ketorolac is relatively COX-1 selective while bromfenac is potently selective for COX-2 over COX-1. In the animal model, both ketorolac 0.4% and bromfenac 0.09% demonstrated maximal anti-inflammatory activity in treated eyes. Only bromfenac 0.09% had a significant effect on the contralateral eye, suggesting possible systemic absorption of this drug.

The Therapeutic Use of Acetaminophen in Patients with Liver Disease

Acetaminophen has been used safely and effectively for many years to manage pain and/or fever in patients of all ages. It is commonly recommended as first-line therapy for a variety of patients and conditions, including the elderly, children with viral illnesses, and patients with osteoarthritis, gastrointestinal conditions, bleeding disorders, cardiovascular disease, or renal disease. However, its use is often avoided in patients with chronic liver disease. The perception that acetaminophen should be avoided in such patients arose from awareness of the association between massive acetaminophen overdose and hepatotoxicity, combined with a lack of understanding of the metabolism of acetaminophen in patients with liver disease. There are various theoretical mechanisms of acetaminophen hepatotoxicity in chronic liver disease including: altered metabolism and depleted glutathione stores that would be expected to increase accumulation of the hepatotoxic intermediate, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI). Available studies in patients with chronic liver disease, however, have shown that although the half-life of acetaminophen may be prolonged, cytochrome P-450 activity is not increased and glutathione stores are not depleted to critical levels in those taking recommended doses. Furthermore, acetaminophen has been studied in a variety of liver diseases without evidence of increased risk of hepatotoxicity at currently recommended doses. Therefore, acetaminophen can be used safely in patients with liver disease and is a preferred analgesic/antipyretic because of the absence of the platelet impairment, gastrointestinal toxicity, and nephrotoxicity associated with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

Hepatocellular damage from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used for the management of rheumatological disorders, and as analgesics and antipyretics. Hepatotoxicity is an uncommon, but potentially lethal complication, which usually occurs within 12 weeks of starting therapy. It can occur with all NSAIDs, but appears to be more common with diclofenac and particularly sulindac. Female patients aged >50 years, with autoimmune disease, and those on other potentially hepatotoxic drugs, appear to be particularly susceptible. Liver function test abnormalities generally settle within 4-6 weeks of stopping the causative drug. However, some patients may develop acute liver failure and successful orthotopic liver transplantation may be undertaken in such patients. Recent in vitro animal studies have shown that the mechanism of diclofenac toxicity relates both to impairment of ATP synthesis by mitochondria, and to production of active metabolites, particularly n,5-dihydroxydiclofenac, which causes direct cytotoxicity. Mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) has also been shown to be important in diclofenac-induced liver injury, resulting in generation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial swelling and oxidation of NADP and protein thiols. Physicians and hepatologists must be vigilant to the hepatotoxic potential of any NSAID, as increased awareness, surveillance and reporting of these events will lead to a better understanding of the risk factors and the pathophysiology of NSAID-related hepatotoxicity.

Adverse reaction to a dietary supplement in an elderly patient

OBJECTIVE

To describe the case of an elderly patient who experienced hepatic enzyme elevations and symptoms of hepatitis associated with the administration of a dietary supplement.

CASE SUMMARY

A 92-year-old white woman with no history of hepatic disease developed jaundice and increased confusion associated with increased hepatic enzymes. The hepatitis panel, abdominal ultrasound, and antinuclear antibody screen indicated no abnormalities. A drug regimen review revealed that the patient was receiving a dietary supplement, Nutrilite Double X Multivitamin-Multimineral. Following discontinuation of the supplement, the patient's symptoms resolved and the hepatic enzymes decreased or returned to the reference range at evaluations occurring 1 week and 1 month after intervention. An objective causality assessment revealed this to be a probable adverse drug event.

DISCUSSION

While the association of certain herbal preparations with hepatotoxicity has been demonstrated, the potential for this adverse effect is easily overlooked. In this patient, infectious or autoimmune causes of acute hepatitis were ruled out, and drug-induced causes were considered. The resolution of symptoms and laboratory values following discontinuation of the supplement support a relationship between the dietary supplement and this episode of hepatitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Our case indicates that there was a probable relationship between the dietary supplement Nutrilite Double X Multivitamin-Multimineral and the development of acute hepatitis. Due to the multi-ingredient formulation of the product, as well as lack of data describing manufacturing procedures, it is difficult to determine which component may be associated with this effect. Over-the-counter supplements should be considered as a part of the differential diagnosis in patients presenting with increased liver enzymes and related symptoms.

Mechanisms of NSAID-induced hepatotoxicity: focus on nimesulide

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been associated with idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity in susceptible patients. The molecular mechanisms underlying this toxicity have not yet been fully elucidated. However, experimental evidence suggests that they include increased concentration of the drugs in the hepatobiliary compartment, formation of reactive metabolites that covalently modify proteins and produce oxidative stress, and mitochondrial injury. Genetic and/or acquired patient factors can either augment the pathways leading to hepatic toxicity or impede the protective and detoxifying pathways. An example is nimesulide, a selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 inhibitor widely used for the treatment of inflammatory and pain conditions, which has been recently associated with rare but serious and unpredictable adverse reactions in the liver (increases in serum aminotransferase activities, hepatocellular necrosis, and/or intrahepatic cholestasis). Similar to other drugs causing idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity, both the molecule and the patient contribute to the hazard. Here, the weakly acidic sulfonanilide drug undergoes bioreductive metabolism of the nitroarene group to reactive intermediates that have been implicated in oxidative stress, covalent binding, and mitochondrial injury. It is only in a small number of susceptible patients, however, that genetic or nongenetic factors will cause this potential toxicity to become clinically manifest. In view of the very large recipient population, the incidence of nimesulide-induced liver injury has been low (approximately 0.1 per 100,000 patients treated). Although this estimation is based on spontaneous reporting data versus sales units and needs correction due to the classical bias of this system, the type and incidence of these rare but severe hepatic adverse reactions are comparable to that of other NSAIDs.

The use of anti-inflammatory drugs in cancer pain

The role of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in cancer pain has been well established in the treatment of mild pain and also alone or in association with opioids for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. Acutely, NSAIDs may be more than mild analgesics, and may provide additional analgesia when combined with opioids. However, NSAIDs have ceiling effects and there is no therapeutic gain from increasing dosages beyond those recommended. As there is no clearly superior NSAID, the choice should be based on experience and the toxicity profile that probably relates to the COX-1:COX-2 ratio. Among the older drugs, ibuprofen seems to have these properties.Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been shown to have an opioid-sparing effect. Although the value of a simple narcotic-sparing effect may be questioned in cancer pain treatment, the use of NSAIDs may be useful when the increase in opioid dosage determine the occurrence of opioid toxicity. Like opioids, NSAIDs should not be considered analgesics for a specific type or cause of pain. There is a lack of evidence for any difference between different routes of NSAIDs administration. The long-term toxicity of NSAIDs in cancer pain is poorly defined due to a lack of studies. A variety of strategies have been used in an attempt to reduce the risks associated with NSAID therapy. Those NSAIDs that are weak COX-1 inhibitors may be preferred. In addition, concomitant administration of misoprostol is recommended in patients at increased risk for upper gastrointestinal complications.

Acute liver failure associated with prolonged use of bromfenac leading to liver transplantation. The Acute Liver Failure Study Group

Bromfenac, a nonnarcotic analgesic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was associated with reversible, minor elevations in serum aminotransferase levels during clinical trials. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical, laboratory, and histological features of 4 patients with severe bromfenac hepatotoxicity identified at 3 tertiary care centers participating in the US Acute Liver Failure Study Group. Bromfenac was administered for chronic musculoskeletal disorders to 4 women in therapeutic doses of 25 to 100 mg/d for a minimum of 90 days. All patients reported a prodrome of malaise and fatigue and presented with severe, symptomatic hepatocellular injury with associated hypoprothrombinemia. None of the subjects had underlying liver or kidney disease, and there was no evidence of a hypersensitivity reaction. Other identifiable causes of acute liver failure were uniformly excluded. Despite supportive measures, all the subjects developed progressive liver failure over 5 to 37 days, leading to emergency liver transplantation in 3 patients and death in 1 patient while awaiting transplantation. Extensive confluent parenchymal necrosis that appeared to begin in the central zones and was accompanied by a predominantly lymphocytic infiltrate was noted in all the livers examined. Nodular regeneration was seen in the 2 patients with a more protracted clinical course. Administration of therapeutic doses of bromfenac for greater than 90 days was associated with the development of acute liver failure leading to liver transplantation or death in 4 adult women. The poor outcomes observed in this series, coupled with the inability to identify individuals at risk for severe, idiosyncratic bromfenac hepatotoxicity, preclude further use of bromfenac in the medical community.

Fatal fulminant hepatitis associated with bromfenac use

OBJECTIVE

To report a case of fulminant hepatic failure associated with the use of bromfenac, a new analog of the phenyl acetate class of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.

CASE SUMMARY

A 60-year-old white woman with liver failure who had no known history of chronic liver disease was transferred to the liver transplant unit for evaluation. For three months preceding her illness, the patient was treated with bromfenac 25 mg po qid for arthritic pain. Prior to the initiation of bromfenac, her liver function test results were normal. Etiologic evaluation at presentation was unremarkable. The patient's condition continued to deteriorate, with the development of hepatic encephalopathy and worsening liver function test results while awaiting liver transplantation. Progressive hepatic and renal dysfunction along with respiratory decompensation ensued, and the patient died 48 days after initial presentation.

CONCLUSIONS

Fulminant hepatic failure associated with the prolonged use of bromfenac appears to be an idiosyncratic response consistent with experience with other agents of its class. This case along with other cases of serious hepatotoxicity associated with the use of this agent ultimately resulted in bromfenac's removal from the market.

Selected drug complications and treatment conflicts in the presence of coexistent diseases

The presence of different coexistent systemic diseases often times complicates the selection of the appropriate treatment of an underlying rheumatologic condition. In this article, some controversial treatment conflicts that are frequently encountered in the daily practice of rheumatology are clarified and guidelines for the best available therapeutic options are provided.

Severe hepatotoxicity associated with bromfenac sodium

Subacute hepatitis and liver failure occurred in a 40-yr-old woman following a 1-month course of treatment with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug bromfenac. Serologies for hepatitis A, B, and C were negative, as were antinuclear antibodies and ceruloplasmin. A transjugular liver biopsy demonstrated submassive hepatic necrosis. The clinical course was complicated by encephalopathy, fluid retention, and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, prompting consideration for liver transplantation. With supportive measures, jaundice and fluid retention resolved over a 3-month period. We conclude that prolonged use of bromfenac was the etiological agent in this case, and that this drug can cause severe hepatotoxicity resulting in liver failure.

Drug-induced liver disease

The past year has seen several additions to the list of drugs that cause hepatic injury. Many of these agents produce fulminant hepatic necrosis and, in some cases, were withdrawn from the market (eg, bromfenac). Other drugs had warnings placed in their labeling along with stringent monitoring guidelines to alert physicians and patients alike to the potential for severe hepatic injury (eg, troglitazone, tolcapone). New reports of hepatoxicity continued to appear for many older agents, in some cases expanding the hepatotoxic spectrum for the drugs. Vanishing bile duct syndrome has drawn increasing attention and is now associated with more than 30 drugs. Ibuprofen is among those drugs newly described as causing this syndrome. Hepatitis C virus infection was reported as a possible risk factor for ibuprofen hepatotoxicity, raising the issue of safe use of nonprescription as well as prescription drugs in patients with underlying liver disease. Reports have appeared about acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in several dozen children from unintentional overdoses, in addition to cases of therapeutic misadventure in adults.

When acetaminophen use becomes toxic. Treating acute accidental and intentional overdose

Whether accidental or intentional, acetaminophen poisoning is not uncommon; in fact, it is the most common drug-induced cause of liver failure. When hepatic glutathione is depleted, the toxic metabolite NAPQI fails to be conjugated and causes hepatic injury. At risk are chronic alcoholics, binge drinkers, patients taking medications that induce the P-450 isoenzyme system, and those with concomitant liver disease. The four phases that make up the clinical course of acetaminophen poisoning distinguish signs, symptoms, and laboratory values according to severity. In diagnosing acetaminophen toxicity, adequate history taking and serial measurements of acetaminophen level are essential. Treatment is rooted in three goals: decreasing the absorption of acetaminophen using activated charcoal, replacing hepatic glutathione using acetylcysteine, and supportive care in the case of hepatic failure. The prognosis depends on the amount ingested and the time of presentation after ingestion.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-associated toxicity of the liver, lower gastrointestinal tract, and esophagus

Although upper gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events are the most common consequences of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, there are other GI side effects that can contribute to the morbidity and mortality associated with these drugs. NSAID-associated toxicity of the large and small bowel is increasingly recognized in clinical practice, as enteroscopic procedures become more frequently used. This lower GI toxicity may have several different manifestations: ulcerations, strictures, colitis, or exacerbation of inflammatory bowel disease. Hepatic injury, most likely due to an idiosyncratic reaction resulting from an immunologic response or altered metabolic pathways, is another sequela of NSAID use that is usually reversible. Although hepatotoxicity is listed as a class warning for NSAIDs, aspirin, diclofenac, and sulindac are most commonly associated with this problem. Surveillance for hepatic injury is not always reliable, and the low frequency of both hepatic and lower GI toxicity in NSAID users renders these events difficult to characterize. An increase in awareness, surveillance, and reporting of these events can lead to a better understanding of the risk factors and etiology associated with NSAID toxicity.

Drug-associated acute-onset vanishing bile duct and Stevens-Johnson syndromes in a child

Acute vanishing bile duct syndrome is a rare but established cause of progressive cholestasis in adults, is most often drug or toxin related, and is of unknown pathogenesis. It has not been reported previously in children. Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a well-recognized immune complex-mediated hypersensitivity reaction that affects all age groups, is drug or infection induced, and has classic systemic, mucosal, and dermatologic manifestations. A previously healthy child who developed acute, severe, rapidly progressive vanishing bile duct syndrome shortly after Stevens-Johnson syndrome is described; this was temporally associated with ibuprofen use. Despite therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid, prednisone, and then tacrolimus, her cholestatic disease was unrelenting, with cirrhosis shown by biopsy 6 months after presentation. This case documents acute drug-related vanishing bile duct syndrome in the pediatric age group and suggests shared immune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of both Stevens-Johnson syndrome and vanishing bile duct syndrome.

Ibuprofen-induced hepatotoxicity in patients with chronic hepatitis C: a case series

Hepatitis C is a common chronic infection. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are commonly ingested both over-the-counter and by prescription. This case report describes three cases where ibuprofen use leads to a marked rise in hepatic transaminases with one case repeating on rechallenge. These cases support the recommendation of acetaminophen over nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Hepatotoxicity of non-narcotic analgesics

The central role of the liver in drug metabolism sets the stage for drug-related hepatotoxicity. The incidence of hepatotoxicity associated with non-narcotic analgesics is low, but their widespread use both prescription and over-the-counter-makes analgesic-associated hepatotoxicity a clinically and economically important problem. Hepatotoxicity is considered a class characteristic of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), despite the fact that they are a widely diverse group of chemicals. In fact, there are many differences in the incidence, histologic pattern, and mechanisms of hepatotoxicity between, as well as within, chemical classes. Most NSAID reactions are hepatocellular and occur because of individual patient susceptibility (idiosyncrasy). Aspirin, however, is a dose-related intrinsic hepatotoxin. Acetaminophen is also an intrinsic hepatotoxin but rarely demonstrates hepatotoxicity at therapeutic doses. It does cause hepatotoxicity with massive overdoses and with therapeutic doses in susceptible patients such as chronic users of alcohol. No hepatotoxicity has been reported to date with tramadol, another non-narcotic analgesic.

Serum transaminase elevations as indicators of hepatic injury following the administration of drugs

During the preclinical, early clinical, late-stage clinical, and postmarketing phases of the pharmaceutical discovery and development process, one important aspect of drug safety assessment involves monitoring for possible drug-induced hepatic injury. Hepatic injuries vary in nature from direct, intrinsic effects that are observed in most recipients and more than one species to rare idiosyncratic responses seen only in a few clinical subjects. Histological types of injuries vary from hepatocellular to hepatobiliary with multiple cellular effects characteristic of each type. Of the various clinical laboratory markers for hepatic injury, serum transaminases, especially alanine aminotransferase (ALT), are the most universally important indicators for studies ranging from early preclinical animal testing to postmarketing patient monitoring. This review examines the characteristics of hepatic toxicity that result in serum ALT changes, the differences in the etiology of hepatic responses which govern when liver injury is most likely to be detected during the four phases of the drug discovery and development process, and those modulating factors which affect the utility of ALT as a dependable marker of hepatic injury in clinical populations. The paper concludes with a summary of some ancillary methods for early preclinical screening such as in vitro metabolism and toxicity assays, gene and protein expression analysis, and some strategies for enhancing the probability for the early detection of idiosyncratic hepatotoxic responses which are infrequent but significant factors in the safety assessment process.