Open AccessAutoimmune hepatitis as an adverse effect of long-term methotrexate therapy
Author(s) -
Kamilia Ksouda,
Hanen Affes,
Rim Atheymen,
M. Ezzeddine,
Khaled Mounir Zeghal,
S. Hammami
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
indian journal of pharmacology/the indian journal of pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.286
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1998-3751
pISSN - 0253-7613
DOI - 10.4103/0253-7613.144940
Subject(s) - medicine , psoriasis , methotrexate , rheumatoid arthritis , psoriatic arthritis , autoimmune hepatitis , adverse effect , hepatitis , cirrhosis , arthritis , steatosis , immunology , drug , autoimmunity , dermatology , pharmacology , antibody
Methotrexate (MTX) is one of the most commonly used medicines in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The drug can produce steatosis and cirrhosis. Autoimmune hepatitis is a rare and serious adverse effect. We describe the case of a 53-year-old woman who developed autoimmune hepatitis after a long-term use of MTX for psoriatic arthritis. Hepatitis was completely resolved 4 months after stopping this drug. The pathophysiologic mechanisms of a drug-induced autoimmunity are unclear and complex. This report confirms the need to monitor liver enzymes carefully in patients using long-term treatment with MTX for psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis.