Diagnosis of a Case of Hepatotoxicity Due to Drugs and Herbal Supplements in a Hospital in Pasto, Colombia

The liver is a crucial organ in metabolism, and some substances can induce toxic hepatitis with high morbidity and mortality. Chemical and drug-induced liver disease is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge since it requires extension studies to rule out other entities. We present the case of a 51-year-old female patient without underlying comorbidities, admitted due to symptoms of two-day evolution consisting of progressive jaundice, diarrheal episodes without acholia, or any other additional manifestation. Her condition was caused by the intake of nimesulide, two tablets a day for two days, for pain secondary to a mandibular cyst diagnosed in previous days. During her admission to the emergency room, the patient described chronic consumption of Herbalife® products daily for four years. She presented with elevated transaminases, prolonged prothrombin time (PT), and direct hyperbilirubinemia. Infectious and immunological diseases were ruled out. We decided to start antibiotic and vitamin K coverage. Finally, and by exclusion, a liver biopsy suggested an inflammatory process compatible with drug-induced hepatitis. The woman evolved favorably when the medication and dietary supplement were discontinued. In conclusion, this case constitutes an initial point in advancing research into hepatotoxicity by shared mechanisms of various substances simultaneously, such as what happened to the patient with the parallel use of Herbalife® and nimesulide.

El hígado es un órgano crucial en el metabolismo y algunas sustancias pueden inducir hepatitis toxica con alta morbimortalidad. La enfermedad hepática inducida por sustancias químicas y medicamentos es un desafío tanto diagnostico como terapéutico, puesto que requiere la realización de estudios de extensión para descartar otras entidades. A continuación se presenta el caso de una paciente femenina de 51 años sin comorbilidades de base, ingresada por clínica de 2 días de evolución consistente en ictericia progresiva, episodios diarreicos sin acolia ni otra manifestación adicional. Aparentemente, su cuadro fue provocado por la administración de nimesulida, 2 tabletas al día por 2 días, contra el dolor secundario a un quiste mandibular diagnosticado en días anteriores. Durante su ingreso a urgencias la paciente describió consumo crónico, a diario desde hace 4 años, de productos de Herbalife®. Cursa con elevación de transaminasas, prolongación del tiempo de protrombina (TP) e hiperbilirrubinemia directa. Se descartan enfermedades infecciosas e inmunológicas. Se decidió iniciar el cubrimiento antibiótico y vitamina K. Finalmente y por exclusión, se realizó una biopsia hepática que sugirió un proceso inflamatorio compatible con hepatitis inducida por fármacos. La mujer evolucionó favorablemente al suspender la medicación y el suplemento dietético referido. En conclusión, el caso expuesto constituye un punto inicial en el avance hacia la investigación en hepatotoxicidad por mecanismos compartidos de diversas sustancias simultáneamente, como lo sucedido a la paciente con el uso paralelo de Herbalife® y de nimesulida.

Pre-travel advice concerning vector-borne diseases received by travelers prior to visiting Cuzco, Peru.

Peru is an increasingly popular tourist destination that poses a risk to travelers due to endemic vector-borne diseases (VBDs). The objective of our study was to determine which factors are associated with receiving pre-travel advice (PTA) for VBDs among travelers visiting Cuzco, Peru. A cross-sectional secondary analysis based on data from a survey among travelers departing Cuzco at Alejandro Velazco Astete International Airport during the period January-March 2012 was conducted. From the 1819 travelers included in the original study, 1717 were included in secondary data analysis. Of these participants, 42.2% received PTA and 2.9% were informed about vector-borne diseases, including yellow fever (1.8%), malaria (1.6%) and dengue fever (0.1%). Receiving information on VBDs was associated with visiting areas endemic to yellow fever and dengue fever in Peru. The only disease travelers received specific recommendations for before visiting an endemic area for was yellow fever. Only 1 in 30 tourists received information on VBD prevention; few of those who traveled to an endemic area were warned about specific risks for infectious diseases prior to their trip. These important findings show that most tourists who travel to Peru do not receive PTA for the prevention of infectious and VBD, which can affect not only the travelers but their countries of origin as well.