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Drug-Induced Liver Injury Caused by Amoxicillin/Clavulanate

Inês Ferreira1, Cláudio Gouveia1, Carolina Vasques1

  • 1Internal Medicine, Hospital São Francisco Xavier, Lisboa, PRT.

Cureus
|January 27, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is rare but challenging to diagnose. This case highlights amoxicillin/clavulanate as a rare cause of DILI, emphasizing thorough patient history for accurate diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Pharmacology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) presents diagnostic challenges due to its low incidence and status as a diagnosis of exclusion.
  • Amoxicillin/clavulanate is a widely prescribed antibiotic with a rare potential to cause liver injury.

Observation:

  • A 71-year-old male presented with jaundice of two weeks' duration without an apparent cause.
  • Initial investigations excluded common and severe etiologies of liver injury.

Findings:

  • A diagnosis of DILI was established, specifically linked to amoxicillin/clavulanate intake.
  • This case underscores the importance of detailed clinical history in identifying drug-induced hepatotoxicity.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should consider amoxicillin/clavulanate in the differential diagnosis of DILI, even when rare.
  • Thorough patient history taking is crucial for diagnosing DILI and identifying causative agents.
  • Raising awareness of rare adverse drug reactions associated with common medications is vital.
Keywords:
amoxicillin/clavulanatedruginjuryjaundiceliver

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