title: Higher Risk of Severe Drug-Induced Liver Injury among Hispanic HIV-Infected Patients after Initiation of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about differences across ethnicities in the development of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) initiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective, longitudinal, comparative, pilot study. DILI within the first year of HAART was evaluated in 50 HIV-infected Hispanics without viral hepatitis who initiated HAART between 2000 and 2009. It was compared to white and black patients (1:1:1) matched by age and CD4 counts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HAART-related DILI of any grade occurred in 30 of 150 (20%) patients and was associated with nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) use (OR 4.49 [95%CI 1.5-13.8]). Severe DILI was significantly more frequent among Hispanics compared to other groups (6% vs. 0%; P = .04). Of the 3 patients with severe DILI, 2 underwent liver imaging and had hepatic steatosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe DILI within the first year of HAART initiation was infrequent and restricted to Hispanics. Additional studies are needed to determine if fatty liver is involved in the excess of severe DILI observed in this group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Zanetta S
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Lamar
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Núnez
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies