Adverse hepatic reactions associated with etretinate in patients with psoriasis--analysis of 22 cases

In a retrospective study of 533 patients with psoriasis treated with etretinate in several centers in the United States, 22 adverse drug reactions related to hepatic dysfunction were reported. On analysis, 6 of these adverse hepatic reactions were probably drug related, 7 possibly related, 6 unlikely to be related and in 3 there was insufficient evidence to implicate or associate the reported event as a hepatic adverse reaction. Most of the adverse drug reactions were asymptomatic changes in liver function test (LFT). No death occurred which could be attributed to adverse hepatic reaction from etretinate.