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Terbinafine induced fulminant hepatic failure and patient death

A 72 year-old-patient without known past medical history presented to the hospital with worsening cough, dyspnea on exertion, decreased appetite, weight loss for two months. Prior to admission, he was treated with a 10- day course of levofloxacin and prednisone as a case of bronchitis with minimal improvement. Then he started to develop red urine with marked changes in mental status. On physical examination, the patient had notifiable scleral icterus, confusion and abdominal tenderness in the right upper quadrant. On admission his labs were significant for alkaline phosphatase 541, aspartate transaminase 557, alanine transaminase 94, total bilirubin 8.6, lactate 11.7. CT scan of abdomen showed hepatosplenomegaly, mild ascites and trace bilateral pleural effusion. Work up with Viral hepatitis serology, cryptococcal antigen, histoplasma antigen, respiratory virus panel, Epstein Barr virus tests were negative. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) and anti-mitochondrial antibody were also negative. Blood level of amylase, lipase, acetaminophen and alcohol were negative at admission too. The patient was started initially on broad spectrum antibiotics, N-acetyl cysteine empirically and aggressive intravenous fluid hydration. Patient condition rapidly worsened and he developed profound shock requiring mechanical ventilation and started on stress dose steroid and pressor support. Upon further investigation, patient was noted to take terbinafine for toe onychomycosis (day 112). Ferritin level was elevated to 1596 with 93% iron saturation. Ceruloplasmin level was normal. Patient was not a transplant candidate due to multiple organ failure. As per family request, patient was palliatively extubated and died.
Terbinafine is a fungicidal drug with activity against dermatophytes including Epidermophyton flccosum and trichophyton rubrum. It works by inhibition of squalene epoxidase with a resultant accumulation of squalene in the fungal cell and killing it as a result. Commonly used orally to treat onychomycosis and other fingernails and toenails infections. Shortly after its introduction to the market, DILI had been reported with elevation with serum aminotransferases elevation that was usually self-limited. Usually presents within first 6 weeks of therapy with either hepatocellular or cholestatic initially with sings of hypersensitivity. Mechanism of injury entails hypersensitivity reaction, though the full pathogenesis was not elucidated yet, but genetic polymorphism is implicated in the variable presentation especially among HLA-A 33:01 allele carriers. Terbinafine DILI resolves usually within 6 months of stopping the medication but can lead to death or need liver transplantation in some cases.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:ETSU/oai:dc.etsu.edu:asrf-1379
Date12 April 2019
CreatorsIbrahim, MohD, sheikh, Omer, Sankhyan, Pratyksha, Al Qaryoute, Ayah, Ibrahim, Abdulrahman, Mahajan, Akilesh, Mahajan, Nilesh, Pourmoteza, Mohsen, Mckinney, Jason
PublisherDigital Commons @ East Tennessee State University
Source SetsEast Tennessee State University
Detected LanguageEnglish
Typetext
Formatapplication/pdf
SourceAppalachian Student Research Forum
Rightshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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