Remission of severe rheumatoid arthritis following liver transplantation.
We present the case of a 32-year-old male who suffered from severe RA from the age of 21 years. After 9 years of active disease and poor response to therapy the patient developed severe hepatitis induced by the NSAID pirprofen. He went into fulminant hepatic failure necessitating emergency liver transplantation. Liver transplantation was followed by clinical and laboratory remission of his RA and he has remained virtually asymptomatic for more than 3.5 years. The possibility that this favourable clinical course was due to the immunosuppressive effect of the liver transplant rather than the ensuing immunosuppressive therapy is discussed.
Lohse
A W
AW
I. Department of Medicine, Johannes Gutenberg University, Germany.
Otto
G
G
Hermann
E
E
Poralla
T
T
Meyer Zum Büschenfelde
K H
KH
D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016031:Liver Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010666:Phenylpropionates / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013997:Time Factors
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010666:Phenylpropionates; C008924:pirprofen