Hepatitis aguda recurrente inducida por albendazol / Recurrent albendazole-induced acute hepatitis

Resumen El albendazol es un medicamento usado para tratar infecciones por helmintos y usualmente presenta pocos o ningún efecto secundario. A pesar de que hay un incremento transitorio de enzimas hepáticas luego de su uso, existe poca evidencia en la literatura en la que se reporte lesión hepática luego de automedicación con albendazol. En este informe, el paciente se presentó con hepatitis aguda luego de automedicarse con albendazol. El paciente cuenta además con una historia de episodios similares después de haber usado el fármaco. Se evaluada la causalidad con el método de evaluación de causalidad de Roussel Uclaf del Concejo para Organizaciones Internacionales de Ciencias Médicas, cuyo resultado fue un puntaje de 10, lo que indicó una alta probabilidad de lesión hepática inducida por albendazol al cabo de realizarse una investigación rigurosa y de excluir otras posibles causas de la condición física del paciente. En conclusión, aunque es ideal agilizar el proceso para combatir a los helmintos, es necesario intensificar la necesidad de monitorizaciones de calidad para evitar reacciones adversas como la hepatitis inducida por medicamentos. Asimismo, la automedicación de cualquier medicamento debe ser siempre evitada.

Abstract Albendazole is used to treat helminth infections and usually has minimal or no side effects. A transient increase in liver enzymes is common following its use, but little evidence of albendazole-induced liver damage has been reported in the literature. This study presents a patient who developed acute hepatitis following self-medication with albendazole. The patient also had a history of similar episodes in the past after using the drug. After a thorough investigation and exclusion of all other causes of the patient's clinical condition, the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method of the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences scale yielded a score of 10 points, indicating a high probability of albendazole-induced liver damage. In conclusion, expediting the process of combating helminths is ideal, but quality monitoring is required to avoid adverse reactions such as drug-induced hepatitis. Moreover, self-medication with any drug should always be discouraged.

Cholestasis as the initial presentation of relapsing polychondritis.

Relapsing polychondritis is an immune-mediated disease associated with inflammation in cartilaginous structures and other tissues throughout the body, particularly the ears, nose, eyes, joints, and respiratory tract. Although association with other conditions is seen in about one-third of the cases, liver involvement is not usually observed in those patients. We described a case of liver involvement in relapsing polychondritis, presenting with a predominantly cholestatic pattern. Other conditions associated with abnormal liver tests were excluded and the patient showed a prompt response to steroid therapy. We discuss the spectrum of the liver involvement in relapsing and review the literature.