Hepatotoxicity of antituberculosis therapy (rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide) or viral hepatitis.
METHODS
Department of Chest Diseases, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine and Atatürk Chest Diseases Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.


OBJECTIVE
The primary purpose of this study was to assess the contributory role of viral hepatitis in antituberculosis drug hepatotoxicity.


METHODS
Serologic markers for viral hepatitis were studied in 57 patients who developed acute hepatitis during antituberculosis therapy with rifampicin and isoniazid.


RESULTS
Among 705 adult tuberculous patients, 57 (8.1%) developed acute hepatitis during therapy with rifampicin and isoniazid. Serologic markers confirmed the presence of hepatitis B in 6 (10.5%) and hepatitis C in 4 (7%) of the 57 patients. Acute hepatitis A was not diagnosed in any of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Hepatitis occurring during antituberculosis therapy may not be drug-induced in all patients. Apart from the other factors mentioned above the endemicity of viral hepatitis in developing countries could be responsible for the higher incidence of antituberculosis-drug hepatitis.
Türktaş
H
H
Department of Respiratory Diseases, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Unsal
M
M
Tülek
N
N
Orüç
O
O
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000175:diagnosis; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000175:diagnosis; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000009:adverse effects*
D011718:Pyrazinamide; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin