Novel risk factors and early detection of anti tubercular treatment induced liver injury-Looking beyond American Thoracic Society Guidelines.

INTRODUCTION: ATT remains the standard treatment for tuberculosis. Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) has been a long-standing concern in the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) infection. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To study the occurrence and risk factors of DILI in patients on ATT by regular clinical and biochemical monitoring. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 200 patients, in whom ATT was started, were enrolled in the study. None of the patients with established risk factor for DILI as recognized by ATS guidelines was included in our study population. Regular clinical and liver function test monitoring was done at the commencement of ATT and then at 2, 4, and 8 weeks in the intensive phase subsequently at 4 and 6 months. RESULTS: DILI developed in 16 patients. Among those, 10 patients (62.5%) developed early DILI and 6 patients (37.5%) developed late DILI. Female gender and extrapulmonary tuberculosis were found to be associated with increased risk of ATT-induced DILI, whereas age, BMI, and serum albumin were not found to significantly increase DILI risk. CONCLUSION: DILI is a common problem among patients on ATT in our population. Early detection not only reduces the risk of developing Hepatic Failure but also prevents mortality.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis.

PURPOSE: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a frequently encountered clinical condition in clinical practice, particularly in obese and diabetic patients. Carotid atherosclerosis is regarded as surrogate marker of coronary atherosclerosis. We aimed to know whether evaluation for carotid atherosclerosis should be done in all patients of NAFLD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 NAFLD patients and 100 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled into the study. Ultrasound was done to document fatty liver and carotid intimal thickness, and relation between these two was observed. RESULTS: Grade 1 fatty liver was seen in 36% patients while Grade 2 fatty liver was found in 39% and Grade 3 fatty liver in 25%. Patients with Grade 1 fatty liver had left intima-media thickness (IMT) in the range of 0.4-0.6 mm (mean IMT - 0.69 mm) and had right IMT in the range of 0.5-0.8 mm (mean IMT - 0.71 mm). In patients with Grade 2 fatty liver, left IMT was in the range of 0.6-1.0 mm (mean IMT - 0.80 mm) and right IMT in the range of 0.7-1.0 mm (mean IMT - 0.84 mm), while in patients with Grade 3 fatty liver, left IMT was in the range of 0.8-1.2 mm (mean IMT - 0.93 mm) and right IMT in the range of 0.9-1.4 mm (mean IMT - 0.99 mm). Among controls, the mean left IMT was 0.579 mm and mean right IMT was 0.575 mm. CONCLUSION: The level of carotid intimomedial thickness was more in cases than in controls and progressively increased with the grade of fatty liver which was statistically significant.

Levetiracetam Induced Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptom Syndrome.

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptom syndrome (DRESS) is a hypersensitivity drug reaction, most frequently associated with antiepileptic drugs, characterized by skin rash, fever, pharyngitis, lymphadenopathy, and visceral organ involvement, typically presenting within 8 weeks of initiation of therapy. Management involves prompt withdrawal of the offending drug and use of systemic corticosteroids. We here present a rare case of DRESS secondary to levetiracetam. Only few case reports of DRESS secondary to levetiracetam have been published so far.