Anticancer drugs are the first cause of drug‐induced liver injury in a reference hospital
Anna Pocurull, Maria José Moreta, David W. Heitman, Ignasi Olivas, Cristina Collazos, Elia Canga, Joaquín Sáez‐Peñataro, Raúl J. Andrade, M. Isabel Lucena, Zoe Mariñó, Alba Díaz, Sabela Lens, María‐Carlota Londoño, Xavier Forns
Abstract
Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a challenging liver disorder for hepatologists. We aimed to assess the pattern and causes of DILI in a tertiary hospital. We registered prospectively all patients referred with suspicion of DILI from 2018 to 2023. A total of 106 patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria (30 caused by paracetamol were excluded; total number 76). The pattern of liver injury was hepatocellular in 55 (72%). Drugs causing DILI were antineoplastic (26%), antibiotics (24%), analgesics (12%), and recreational drugs (9%). Regarding clinical outcomes, 39 (51%) required hospitalization and 7 (9%) underwent a liver transplantation or died from acute liver injury. We identified 126 additional patients with DILI due to immune check-point inhibitors who were not referred to a liver disease specialist. Antineoplastic drugs have become the first cause of DILI in hospitals. A multidisciplinary approach and specific educational tools to increase DILI awareness are needed among different specialists.