Meloxicam as a Cause of Drug-Induced Autoimmune Hepatitis

Excerpt

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic necroinflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterized by the presence of circulating autoantibodies, elevated serum gammaglobulins, and histological features of interface hepatitis with lympho-plasmacytic infiltration. In genetically predisposed patients, AIH may be triggered by various environmental factors, including viruses (e.g., measles, hepatitis C, and HSV) and drugs (e.g., minocycline, hydralacine, and statins) [1]. Early diagnosis is of paramount importance because appropriate immunosuppressive therapy usually improves this condition and delays or prevents the development of hepatic complications or the need for liver transplantation [2]. We describe here a patient in whom meloxicam probably triggered the development of AIH. …