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Prolonged Cholestatic Jaundice Associated With Flurbiprofen
Serkan Dogan1, Mehmet Celikbilek2, Kutay Demirkan3
1Erciyes University, Medical School, Department of Gastroenterology, Kayseri, Turkey serkanmd2004@yahoo.com.
Journal of Pharmacy Practice
|January 2, 2014
Summary
Flurbiprofen, a common pain reliever, can cause a rare form of liver injury called cholestasis. This case highlights a patient experiencing prolonged jaundice due to flurbiprofen without ductopenia.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used globally for pain management.
- While NSAIDs are known for potential liver toxicity, specific drug-induced liver injury (DILI) patterns vary.
- Flurbiprofen is a commonly prescribed NSAID for its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties.
Observation:
- A patient presented with persistent jaundice (icterus) and elevated liver enzymes.
- The patient's symptoms began after initiating flurbiprofen for pain relief.
- Clinical and biochemical investigations were conducted to determine the cause of liver dysfunction.
Findings:
- The patient's prolonged icterus was directly linked to flurbiprofen use.
- Liver biopsy and serological tests ruled out other common causes of cholestasis.
- Crucially, the cholestasis observed in this case did not involve significant bile duct damage (ductopenia).
Implications:
- This case underscores the rare but serious hepatotoxicity associated with flurbiprofen.
- It expands the known spectrum of NSAID-induced liver injury, specifically highlighting cholestasis without ductopenia.
- Clinicians should consider flurbiprofen as a potential cause of cholestatic jaundice, even in the absence of ductopenia.
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