Chronic aggressive hepatitis after methyldopa treatment. Case report with electron-microscopic study

A case of hepatitis induced by methyldopa and verified by means of challenge with the drugs is reported. The severe, chronic, aggressive inflammation greatly regressed after discontinuing the drug. The clinical differences, as well as those in laboratory findings disappeared. The electron-microscopic showed definite, but non-specific changes in the hepatic and sinusoidal mesenchymal cells. Our case was compared with the electromicroscopic picture of chronic aggressive hepatitis of unknown aetiology, and one essential difference was found in our hepatitis case as a result of methyldopa treatment: pathologic fibrogenesis did not occur. The rapid regression of the severe morphological picture can be attributed to this fact.