[Toxic hepatitis due to dimethylformamide: case reports and literature review]

We report two patients with toxic hepatitis due to the solvent dimethylformamide (DMF). Other causes of hepatitis such as viral, drug induced or alcoholic hepatitis, could be excluded or were considered to be unlikely. Hepatotoxicity due to professional exposure to solvents e.g. dimethylformamide should be considered in any patient with unexplained hepatitis. The fast improvement of the clinical symptoms and the progressive normalisation of the liver function tests once the exposure to the product has been stopped, supports the diagnosis. Yet, non-drug induced toxic hepatitis remains an exclusion diagnosis. Therapy consists of avoiding every contact with the causative agent. Table 3 (Addendum) gives an overview of some industrial agents able to cause hepatitis.