[Systemic lupus erythematosus with steroid induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: a case report]

A 56-year old Japanese female was admitted to our hospital because of the increased levels of serum AST, ALT, and gamma-GTP. She was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus in September, 1996 and had been on a regular glucocorticoid therapy since then. Abdominal ultrasonography showed the mild fatty liver, and hepatic histopathology revealed a typical and remarkable steatohepatitis, a remarkable neutrophil infiltration, and Mallory bodies. Because she had no history of alcohol-drinking, diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) was made. Treatment was started with a low-calorie diet, bed-rest, and an oral administration of alpha-tocopherol and bezafibrate with favorable effects on her serum levels of AST, ALT, gamma-GTP, and LDH. When a patient on a glucocorticoid therapy shows signs of fatty liver, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, an insulin resistance, NASH should be considered as one of the differential diagnosis. This is particularly important since proper therapy with a low-calorie diet and drugs with anti-oxidant activities improve this potentially progressive disease before resulting in liver cirrhosis and hepatic carcinoma.