Probable hepatotoxicity associated with the use of metformin in type 2 diabetes.
This is a case report of a 44-year-old obese female who developed subclinical hepatic injury 4 weeks after starting metformin for type 2 diabetes. She had a rise in her alanine aminotransferase which peaked at 5 months (738 U/l) and rapidly declined within days of discontinuing her metformin. No other positive evidence of alternative causes for the hepatic injury was found. The likelihood of metformin-induced injury was 7 on the Naranjo scale of adverse drug reactions. A brief review of the 11 previously reported cases in the English medical literature is also made.
Family Medicine Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. taqi@lamika.com
Taqi
T
Hashmi
D000328:Adult; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008687:Metformin / Q000009:adverse effects*
D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D008687:Metformin