Patient characteristics in ticlopidine hydrochloride-induced liver injury: Case-control study.
BACKGROUND
Ticlopidine hydrochloride-induced liver abnormalities have been reported in the world. In Japan, the five-year (1995-2000) spontaneous serious reports of ticlopidine finds that liver injury accounts for about half of the reports.


OBJECTIVE
Clinical characteristics of ticlopidine-induced liver injury were investigated to establish the prevention strategy.


METHODS
We used a medical information system at Hiroshima University Hospital and analyzed statistically.


RESULTS
In this study 288 cases were reviewed. Sixty-two cases were identified as the Cases that showed liver function abnormality after ticlopidine administration. And 226 cases were identified as the Controls. There were no significant differences in gender, age or daily dose between the two groups. Fluctuation of liver function was observed within 30 days in the most of Cases and cholestatic type accounted for about 60%. The risk of this abnormality increased significantly in patients with pre-existing abnormal liver or renal function [odds ratio (95% CI): 2.96 (1.43-6.13), p=0.005; 2.47 (1.13-5.39), p=0.037]. The renal protective agent, an oral carbonaceous adsorbent, reduced the risk of ticlopidine-induced liver function abnormalities in patients with renal abnormalities significantly [odds ratio (95% CI): 0.04 (0.002-0.767), p=0.004].


CONCLUSIONS
Liver function tests should be checked frequently, especially in cases with pre-existing liver or renal function abnormalities.
Mizushima
Miyoko
M
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Division of Clinical Pharmacotherapeutics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan.
Iwata
Norikazu
N
Fujimoto
Tetsuro-Takahiro
TT
Ishikawa
Kiyomu
K
Fujimura
Kingo
K