SUCCESSFULLY TREATED SULFASALAZINE-INDUCED FULMINANT HEPATIC-FAILURE,THROMBOCYTOPENIA AND ERYTHROID HYPOPLASIA WITH INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN

We report the simultaneous development of fulminant hepatic failure, t hrombocytopenia and erythroid hypoplasia in a child treated with sulph asalazine. A 12-year-old girl with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis devel oped fulminant hepatic failure, thrombocytopenia and erythroid hypopla sia, which was confirmed by liver histology and bone marrow examinatio n, 2 weeks after initiation of sulphasalazine therapy. The patient rec overed after administration of high doses of intravenous immunoglobuli n. This is the first reported case of the concurrent development of th ese complications associated with sulphasalazine hypersensitivity. The use of intravenous immunoglobulin may have helped in the treatment of this rare adverse effect of sulphasalazine.