Gemfibrozil hepatotoxicity: a case report

A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for management of thoracic trauma and bone fractures. One month after admission she started to receive gemfibrozil for hypertriglyceridemia. In the second month of admission, the patient complained of nausea and malaise. Laboratory value showed an acute hepatitis with raised AST, ALT. The abdominal ultrasound scan was normal, and viral serologic tests were negative. Gemfibrozil was discontinued and in a few days AST and ALT levels returned to normal.

Gemfibrozil-induced hepatitis is a rare event but should be considered in the differential diagnoses of hepatitis in which no other obvious alternative cause is found.