[Acute liver failure due to food supplements]. / Acuut leverfalen na gebruik van voedingssupplementen.

BACKGROUND: Acute liver failure resulting from the use of food supplements is rare. However, due to the rapid rise in the use of food supplements, the incidence of liver damage is increasing. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe the cases of two women with menopausal symptoms who developed liver failure shortly after starting to take food supplements containing plant extracts. Both women consequently underwent a liver transplant. CONCLUSION: Food supplements are not regarded as medicines, but fall under regulations pertaining to foodstuffs. This means they can be put on the market without their safety having first been checked. The old Dutch saying 'if it doesn't do any good, it won't do any harm' is certainly not applicable here. Is it time for a new law?

Liver transplantation for non-exertional heat stroke-related acute liver failure.

Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition characterised by hyperthermia leading to multiple organ dysfunction. Acute liver failure is a rare and potentially fatal consequence of heat stroke. Management of heat stroke is mainly supportive but liver transplantation can be considered as the treatment of acute liver failure in heat stroke. However, literature on liver transplantation as a treatment for acute liver failure in heat stroke is scarce. Until now, no cases of liver transplantation for acute liver failure in non-exertional heat stroke have been reported. Here, we present the first case report of a successful liver transplantation in a patient with acute liver failure caused by non-exertional heat stroke after a sauna visit.