title: Severe acute hepatitis in a printing company worker: a case study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been reported that chlorinated organic solvent is a cause of hepatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  we investigate clinical and pathological findings of a patient with severe acute hepatitis who was exposed to chlorinated organic solvents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 34-year-old man who was exposed to chlorinated organic solvents including dichloromethane, 1,2-dichloropropane, and trichloroethylene, presented with general fatigue, vomiting, and diarrhea. At admission, his laboratory test results showed extremely elevated aspartate aminotransferase (4,872 IU/l), alanine aminotransferase (3,000 IU/l), and lactate dehydrogenase (11,600 IU/l) levels and a prothrombin level below normal (41%). No encephalopathy was noted. These findings were indicative of severe acute hepatitis. Viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic disease, bile duct disease, and viral infection were excluded as causes of hepatitis by clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings. After diagnosis, the patient was administered fresh frozen plasma and glucagon-insulin therapy. Liver function recovered within a few weeks, and a liver biopsy performed 25 days after admission showed the recovery phase after acute liver damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These clinical and pathological findings indicate that exposure to chlorinated organic solvents may have induced severe acute hepatitis in this patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Toshihito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seki
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Ginji
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Endo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011327:Printing; D012997:Solvents / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents