title: Methyldopa liver damage.
abstract: Twenty patients are described in whom liver damage appeared to be directly related to the administration of methyldopa. Sixteen had hepatitic syndromes from which they recovered on stopping methyldopa; four of these patients had recurrences of jaundice after a second course of the drug. Features suggestive of active chronic hepatitis were found in two patients. There were two deaths attributed to methyldopa, one of these being in a patient with pre-existing undiagnosed macronodular cirrhosis.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000032:analysis; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001344:Autopsy; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000473:pathology; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D007565:Jaundice / Q000139:chemically induced; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008750:Methyldopa / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D009929:Organ Size; D012008:Recurrence
chemical_list: D008750:Methyldopa; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D001663:Bilirubin