CHRONIC ACTIVE HEPATITIS ASSOCIATED WITH TRAZODONE THERAPY

Trazodone is a widely used nontricyclic antidepressant agent that has been commercially available in North America for more than 10 year. Th ere have been three previously reported cases of trazodone-induced hep atic injury, all of which resolved within 4 to 24 weeks after cessatio n of the drug. We report the first documented case of trazodone-induce d chronic active hepatitis. The patient developed jaundice 8 months af ter beginning therapy with the drug. Her liver enzymes were markedly e levated, and mild portal hypertension was present al transjugular live r biopsy. The biopsy specimen showed a pattern consistent with chronic active hepatitis. Investigations of other possible causes of chronic active hepatitis were negative, and serum transaminase enzyme levels r apidly returned to normal after withdrawal of trazodone. We suggest th at physicians be alert to the possibility of hepatic injury in patient s receiving trazodone.