title: Propafenone hepatotoxicity: report of two new cases.
abstract: Two patients developed acute cholestatic hepatitis during treatment with propafenone. Viral infections, alcohol abuse, hepatotoxicity by other drugs, and biliary obstruction were excluded as causes. In one patient, liver biopsy showed changes consistent with a drug-associated injury. Another patient had autoimmune antibodies (ANA) in the serum. Following propafenone withdrawal, the clinical and biochemical profiles of both patients improved. Hepatic toxicity from the antiarrhythmic drug propafenone is highly uncommon. Moreover, the drug produces hepatocellular injury by an unknown mechanism. Most of the seven cases reported here had acute cholestatic hepatitis after a latency period of two to four weeks.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Service (Liver Unit), National University Medical School at La Plata, Hospital Rodolfo Rossi, La Plata, Argentina.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cocozzella
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Curciarello
authors.forename: Osvaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Corallini
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olivera
authors.forename: María Malca
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Alburquerque
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fraquelli
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zamagna
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Olenchuck
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cremona
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D011405:Propafenone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D011405:Propafenone