HEPATITIS DUE TO DROXICAM - DESCRIPTION O F 3 NEW CASES AND LITERATURE-REVIEW

Three new cases of cholestatic hepatitis caused by droxicam are descri bed, along with a revision of the other eight cases published to date. Itching, asthenia, and jaundice were the most common symptoms. Averag e age was 62.8 years (range: 45-82 years), and the median time of expo sition was 22.7 days (range: 5-50 days). Biochemistry of the liver sho wed primarily cholestasis and in 4/11 cases hypereosinophilia. Two pat ients presented elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides which disappeared within the month. Clinical manifestations persisted in on e patient for eight weeks after the cessation of treatment. The three patients presented in the present series presented alteration in the b iochemistry of the liver two months after initiation. Liver biopsy in three patients showed centrozonal cholestasis associated with portal i nflammatory activity and presence of granulomas consistent with toxic hepatitis.