Abnormal Liver Tests Research Articles

From the Editor's Desk…

In this issue, Cai Q. et al. evaluated the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19 and abnormal liver tests. Clinical records and laboratory results were obtained from 417 patients with laboratory confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to the only referral hospital in Shenzhen, China. Of 417 patients with COVID-19, 318 (76.3%) had abnormal liver tests and 90 (21.5%) had liver injury during hospitalisation. The presence of abnormal liver tests became more pronounced during hospitalisation.

Remdesivir Use Compared With Supportive Care in Hospitalized Patients With Severe COVID-19: A Single-Center Experience.

BackgroundThe US Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for remdesivir use in patients with severe COVID-19.MethodsWe utilized data from 2 quaternary acute care hospitals. The outcomes of interest were the impact of remdesivir on in-hospital death by day 28 and time to recovery, clinical improvement, and discharge. We utilized Cox proportional hazards models and stratified log-rank tests.ResultsTwo hundred twenty-four patients were included in the study. The median age was 59 years; 67.0% were male; 17/125 patients (13.6%) who received supportive care and 7/99 patients (7.1%) who received remdesivir died. The unadjusted risk for 28-day in-hospital death was lower for patients who received remdesivir compared with patients who received supportive care (hazard ratio [HR], 0.42; 95% CI, 0.16–1.08). Although this trend remained the same after adjusting for age, sex, race, and oxygen requirements on admission (adjusted HR [aHR], 0.49; 95% CI, 0.19–1.28), as well as chronic comorbidities and use of corticosteroids (aHR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.16–1.23), it did not reach statistical significance. The use of remdesivir was not associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI) or liver test abnormalities. Although not statistically significant, the rate ratios for time to recovery, clinical improvement, and discharge were higher in women and black or African American patients.ConclusionsPatients on remdesivir had lower, albeit not significant, all-cause in-hospital mortality, and the use of remdesivir did not increase the risk for AKI. Promising signals from this study need to be confirmed by future placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials.

Impact of COVID-19 on the care of patients with liver disease: EASL-ESCMID position paper after 6 months of the pandemic.

SummaryDuring the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, EASL and ESCMID published a position paper to provide guidance for physicians involved in the care of patients with chronic liver disease. While some healthcare systems are returning to a more normal routine, many countries and healthcare systems have been, or still are, overwhelmed by the pandemic, which is significantly impacting on the care of these patients. In addition, many studies have been published focusing on how COVID-19 may affect the liver and how pre-existing liver diseases might influence the clinical course of COVID-19. While many aspects remain poorly understood, it has become increasingly evident that pre-existing liver diseases and liver injury during the disease course must be kept in mind when caring for patients with COVID-19. This review should serve as an update on the previous position paper, summarising the evidence for liver disease involvement during COVID-19 and providing recommendations on how to return to routine care wherever possible.

Liver involvement is not associated with mortality: results from a large cohort of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients.

SummaryBackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection is frequently associated with liver test abnormalities.AimsTo describe the evolution of liver involvement during SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and its effect on clinical course and mortality.MethodsData of 515 SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patients were collected at baseline and during follow‐up, last evaluation or death. Stratification based on need for hospitalisation, severe disease and admission to intensive care unit (ICU) was performed. The association between liver test abnormalities (baseline and peak values) and ICU admission or death was also explored.ResultsLiver test abnormalities were found in 161 (31.3%) patients. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) were increased in 20.4%, 19% and 13.6% of patients, respectively. Baseline liver test abnormalities were associated with increased risk of ICU admission (OR 2.19 [95% CI 1.24‐3.89], P = 0.007) but not with mortality (OR 0.84 [95% CI 0.49‐1.41], P = 0.51). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) peak values were correlated with risk of death (OR 1.007 [95% CI 1.002‐1.01], P = 0.005) along with age, multiple comorbidities, acute respiratory distress syndrome, ICU admission and C‐reactive protein. Alterations of liver tests worsened within 15 days of hospitalisation; however, in patients with the longest median follow‐up, the prevalence of liver test alterations decreased over time, returning to around baseline levels.ConclusionsIn SARS‐CoV‐2‐positive patients without pre‐existing severe chronic liver disease, baseline liver test abnormalities are associated with the risk of ICU admission and tend to normalise over time. The ALP peak value may be predictive of a worse prognosis.

FRI069 - Too many to refer? FIB-4 scores in primary care patients with abnormal liver tests

FRI069 - Too many to refer? FIB-4 scores in primary care patients with abnormal liver tests

Safety, tolerability, and clinical outcomes of hydroxychloroquine for hospitalized patients with coronavirus 2019 disease.

Severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a devastating worldwide pandemic. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2, but clinical data supporting HCQ for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are limited. This was a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who received ≥1 dose of HCQ at two New York City hospitals. We measured incident Grade 3 or 4 blood count and liver test abnormalities, ventricular arrhythmias, and vomiting and diarrhea within 10 days after HCQ initiation, and the proportion of patients who completed HCQ therapy. We also describe changes in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment hypoxia scores between baseline and day 10 after HCQ initiation and in-hospital mortality. None of the 153 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who received HCQ developed a sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Incident blood count and liver test abnormalities occurred in <15% of patients and incident vomiting or diarrhea was rare. Eighty-nine percent of patients completed their HCQ course and three patients discontinued therapy because of QT prolongation. Fifty-two percent of patients had improved hypoxia scores 10 days after starting HCQ. Thirty-one percent of patients who were receiving mechanical ventilation at the time of HCQ initiation died during their hospitalization, compared to 18% of patients who were receiving supplemental oxygen but not requiring mechanical ventilation, and 8% of patients who were not requiring supplemental oxygen. Co-administration of azithromycin was not associated with improved outcomes. HCQ appears to be reasonably safe and tolerable in most hospitalized patients with COVID-19. However, nearly one-half of patients did not improve with this treatment, highlighting the need to evaluate HCQ and alternate therapies in randomized trials.

Relationship Between COVID-19 Infection and Liver Injury: A Review of Recent Data.

The COVID-19 outbreak is a great threat to public health worldwide. Lung injury is the main outcome of COVID-19 infection; however, damage can occur in other organs including the liver. Currently, limited data are available that link underlying liver injury with the severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review summarizes the available data on liver test abnormalities in COVID-19 patients; critically evaluates the possible causes of liver injury and provides recommendations for clinicians. In laboratory tests, serum levels of liver test markers notably transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and total bilirubin were significantly higher in severe patients with COVID-19 infection. The use of certain drugs especially lopinavir and ritonavir showed an association with the progression of liver damage in severe cases. Available data suggest that liver injury in COVID-19 patients may result from direct effect by the virus, immune-mediated inflammation or drug-induced toxicity. Some studies demonstrated that COVID-19 patients with pre-existing liver disease are at higher risk for hospitalizations and mortality. Therefore, the impact of pre-existing liver disease on treatment and clinical outcomes of COVID-19 should be determined. Large-scale clinical studies are needed to identify the causes of liver injury in patients with COVID-19 infection.

Strategies for liver transplantation during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak: Preliminary experience from a single center in France.

Liver transplantation (LT) during the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) pandemic is challenging given the urgent need to reallocate resources to other areas of patient care. Available guidelines recommend reorganizing transplant care, but data on clinical experience in the context of SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic are scarce. Thus, we report strategies and preliminary results in LT during the peak of the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic from a single center in France. Our strategy to reorganize the transplant program included 4 main steps: optimization of available resources, especially intensive care unit capacity; multidisciplinary risk stratification of LT candidates on the waiting list; implementation of a systematic SARS‐CoV‐2 screening strategy prior to transplantation; and definition of optimal recipient‐donor matching. After implementation of these 4 steps, we performed 10 successful LTs during the peak of the pandemic with a short median intensive care unit stay (2.5 days), benchmark posttransplant morbidity, and no occurrence of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection during follow‐up. From this preliminary experience we conclude that efforts in resource planning, optimal recipient selection, and organ allocation strategy are key to maintain a safe LT activity. Transplant centers should be ready to readapt their practices as the pandemic evolves.

COVID-19: an emergent cause of liver injury?

COVID-19: an emergent cause of liver injury?

A Patient with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Diffuse Biliary Dilation

Question: A 61-year-old man with a history of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) was referred for evaluation of progressive jaundice, abdominal distension, and lower extremity edema over the last several months. Vital signs were within normal ranges. Physical examination revealed a thin, jaundiced man with scleral icterus, a nontender distended abdomen with positive shifting dullness, caput medusae, and pitting lower extremity edema. Laboratory tests showed thrombocytopenia and a predominately cholestatic pattern of liver test abnormalities with a total bilirubin of 6.1 mg/dL, alkaline phosphatase of 481 U/L, aspartate aminotransferase of 129 U/L, alanine aminotransferase of 84 U/L, and albumin of 2.8 g/dL.

Abnormal liver tests in patients hospitalized with Coronavirus disease 2019: Should we worry?

While several studies from China have reported COVID‐19‐related liver injury, there are currently no data on liver dysfunction in hospitalized COVID‐19 patients in Europe. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and predictive value of abnormal liver function in patients hospitalized with COVID‐19. This was a retrospective cohort study of confirmed COVID‐19 patients hospitalized in two referral hospitals in France. Clinical, biological and radiological data were collected and analysed. In all, 234 patients confirmed to have COVID‐19 by RT‐PCR were included. Liver function was abnormal in 66.6% of patients on admission. In multivariate logistic regression, abnormal liver test on admission were associated with in‐hospital aggravation (OR = 4.1, 95% CI 1.5‐10.8; P = .004) and mortality (OR 3.3; 95% CI = 1.04‐10.5; P = .04). This study of liver tests in a European COVID‐19 population confirms a high prevalence of abnormal liver tests on admission that are predictive of severe disease course and higher in‐hospital mortality.

Liver Disorders in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abnormal liver tests are frequent in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. These may occur at the time of diagnosis or throughout the course of the disease. There are multiple aetiologies, such as concomitant diseases and extraintestinal manifestations of the same disease, primary sclerosing cholangitis being the most characteristic. Other aetiologies include adverse reactions to the drugs used in the treatment of these patients. This review will evaluate the different causes of liver test abnormalities.

SAT0345 IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SEXES IN THE RATE OF PROGRESSION OF SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS-ASSOCIATED ILD (SSC-ILD)? DATA FROM THE SENSCIS TRIAL

Background:Previous studies suggested that male sex may be associated with a greater rate of decline in FVC in patients with SSc-ILD. In the SENSCIS trial, nintedanib reduced the rate of FVC decline over 52 weeks vs placebo.Objectives:Analyse the rate of decline in FVC and the efficacy and safety of nintedanib in the SENSCIS trial in subgroups by sex.Methods:Patients with SSc-ILD with first non-Raynaud symptom &lt;7 years before screening and ≥10% fibrosis of the lungs on HRCT were randomised to nintedanib or placebo. We analysed the rate of decline in FVC (mL/year) and adverse events over 52 weeks in male and female patients.Results:Of 576 patients, 433 (75.2%) were female. Compared with males, the female subgroup included a smaller proportion of White patients (64.7% vs 74.8%), a smaller proportion on mycophenolate at baseline (46.9% vs 53.1%), a greater proportion of ATA positive patients (63.3% vs 53.1%), and had a lower mean weight at baseline (66.6 vs 79.1 kg). FVC % predicted (72.8% vs 71.7%) and mRSS (11.2 vs 10.8) were similar in females and males. The adjusted annual rate of decline in FVC in the placebo group was numerically greater in male than female patients (-126.8 [SE 29.0] vs -82.0 [16.2] mL/year). The estimated effect of nintedanib vs placebo on reducing the rate of decline in FVC was numerically more pronounced in males than females (difference: 58.6 [95% CI -18.0, 135.1] vs 34.6 [-9.3, 78.4] mL/year), but the interaction p-value did not indicate heterogeneity in the treatment effect between subgroups (p=0.59). Among nintedanib-treated patients, diarrhoea was reported in similar proportions of females and males (74.7% vs 79.1%); nausea, vomiting and liver test abnormalities were reported in greater proportions of females vs males (35.3% vs 19.4%, 28.1% vs 13.4%, and 15.4% vs 9.0%), while serious adverse events were more frequent in males (32.8% vs 21.3%). In the nintedanib and placebo groups, respectively, adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation were reported in 16.7% and 8.5% of females and 13.4% and 9.2% of males.Conclusion:In the SENSCIS trial in patients with SSc-ILD, the annual rate of decline in FVC in the placebo group was numerically greater in male than female patients. The rate of FVC decline was lower with nintedanib than placebo both in males and females. The safety profile of nintedanib was similar between males and females.Disclosure of Interests:Elizabeth Volkmann Grant/research support from: Forbius, Corbus Pharmaceuticals, Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Forbius, Speakers bureau: Boehringer Ingelheim, Serena Vettori Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, John Varga Grant/research support from: John Varga is awaiting grants from Boehringer Ingelheim and has received grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer, Takeda, and TeneoBio, Consultant of: John Varga has acted as a consultant for Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Emerald Health, and TeneoBio, Ariane Herrick: None declared, Maurizio Cutolo Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Actelion, Celgene, Consultant of: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Speakers bureau: Sigma-Alpha, Ana Cordeiro Consultant of: Ana Cordeiro has acted as a consultant for Roche, Speakers bureau: Ana Cordeiro has received speaker fees from Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, and Vitoria, Valderilio F Azevedo Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Janssen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Lilly and Novartis, Consultant of: Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Amgen, Pfizer and Abbvie, Speakers bureau: Sandoz, Celltrion, Lilly, Novartis, Janssen, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Amgen, Pfizer and Abbvie, Sindhu Johnson Grant/research support from: Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, Merck, Bayer, Consultant of: Boehringer Ingelheim, Ikaria, Christian Stock Employee of: Employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Martina Gahlemann Employee of: Employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Lizette Moros Employee of: Lizette Moros is an employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Margarida Alves Employee of: Employee of Boehringer Ingelheim, Maureen Mayes Grant/research support from: Maureen Mayes has received grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Corbus, CSL Behring, Eicos, and Galapagos, Consultant of: Maureen Mayes has acted as a consultant for Boehringer Ingelheim, Eicos, and Galapagos. She was a member of the SENSCIS trial Steering Committee (Boehringer Ingelheim)

Association between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and obstructive sleep apnea.

BACKGROUNDNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an emerging liver disease and currently the most common cause of incidental abnormal liver tests. The pathogenesis of NAFLD is multifactorial and many mechanisms that cause fatty liver infiltration, inflammation, oxidative stress and progressive fibrosis have been proposed. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be linked with the pathogenesis and the severity of NAFLD.AIMTo study the association between NAFLD and OSA considering also the efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment.METHODSA PubMed search was conducted using the terms “non-alcoholic fatty liver disease AND (obstructive sleep apnea OR obstructive sleep disorders OR sleep apnea)”. Research was limited to title/abstract of articles published in English in the last 5 years; animal and child studies, case reports, commentaries, letters, editorials and meeting abstracts were not considered. Data were extracted on a standardized data collection table which included: First author, publication year, country, study design, number of patients involved, diagnosis and severity of OSA, diagnosis of NAFLD, patient characteristics, results of the study.RESULTSIn total, 132 articles were initially retrieved on PubMed search and 77 in the last five years. After removal of irrelevant studies, 13 articles were included in the qualitative analysis. There was a total of 2753 participants across all the studies with a mean age between 42 and 58 years. The proportion of males ranged from 21% to 87.9% and the mean body mass index ranged from 24.0 to 49.9 kg/m2. The results of this review showed an increased prevalence of NAFLD in patients with diagnosis of OSA, even in the absence of coexisting comorbidities such as obesity or metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, the severity of NAFLD is associated with the increase in OSA severity. Effective CPAP treatment, although not always decisive, may stabilize or slow NAFLD progression with benefits on metabolic and cardiovascular functions.CONCLUSIONIn NAFLD patients, although asymptomatic, it is recommended to systematically perform polysomnography in order to early and better treat them before the development of potentially life threatening systemic dysfunctions.

COVID-19 SARS Treatment with Ruxolitinib; Ongoing Trial and Method

Background. Due to a high rate of contagion, COVID-19 has become a pandemic with an increasing rate of hospitalization and mortality. The main complication is the hyperimmune response caused by the pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-1, IL-6, IFN-g, and TNF-a. Therefore, one of the principal therapeutic targets in COVID-19 is to stop the hyperimmune response. The JAK 1/2 inhibitor, ruxolitinib, suppress cytotoxic T-cells and pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6. Material and Methods. This clinical trial uses ruxolitinib in an open-label study to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the drug on COVID-19 pneumonia with an initial population of 77 patients. The primary objective is to measure the clinical response in patients with pulmonary lesions caused by COVID-19 defined the changes in oxygenation measured by SpO2 or Pa/FiO2. The secondary objectives will be to observe the pro-inflammatory state by measuring C- reactive protein, ferritin, lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, hospitalization rate, length, and mortality. The safety outcomes to analyze are cytopenias and liver test abnormalities. Conclusions. The JAK inhibitors are drugs with anti-inflammatory characteristics for diverse pathologies. The use of ruxolitinib seems promising in controlling the cytokine storm observed in patients with severe COVID-19. This trial is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04334044).

Gastric overtube use to prevent duodenoscope loop formation during EUS-directed transgastric ERCP procedure.

A patient with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery in 2003 and cholecystectomy in 2017 was transferred for evaluation of biliary-type abdominal pain and abnormal liver test results. Abdominal US scan demonstrated a dilated bile duct measuring 1.4 cm and choledocholithiasis (Fig. 1). Upper endoscopy confirmed normal Roux-en-Y anatomy, and an EUS-directed transgastric ERCP procedure was planned.

The utility of liver biopsy in 2020.

Over the past decade, imaging modalities and serological tests have emerged as important tools in the evaluation of liver diseases, in many cases supplanting the use of liver biopsy and histological examination. Nonetheless, the accuracy and diagnostic value of these methods may not always be conclusive and the assessment of liver histology often remains the gold standard for diagnostic evaluation. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current role of liver biopsy in contemporary hepatology practice. Technical factors were found to influence the diagnostic value of liver biopsy and histological examination of the liver, including specimen number and size (preferably ≥3 nonfragmented specimens of >20 mm in length), needle diameter (1.6 mm Menghini), number of passes (mean 2.5), imaging-guidance, and operator experience. Liver biopsy was demonstrated to be diagnostically valuable in the evaluation of persistently abnormal liver tests of unclear cause, with histology pointing to a specific diagnosis in 84% of patients. Although coagulation abnormalities continue to be an important concern when performing liver biopsy, their influence on complication risk remains unclear. Implementation of less stringent preprocedural coagulation thresholds decreased preprocedural transfusions without increasing the bleeding rate. Serious complications associated with percutaneous liver-biopsy (PLB) and transjugular liver-biopsy are similar, but pain appears to be more common with PLB. Histopathological evaluation continues to be fundamentally important in assessing hepatic disease, and liver histology remains the most accurate approach to assess fibrosis and assign prognosis.

No evidence for association between cutaneous lichen planus and hepatitis B and C virus infection in south Poland - a case-control study.

The incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among patients with lichen planus (LP) varies considerably. Currently, there is more evidence for the association between hepatitic C and oral LP (OLP) than cutaneous LP (CLP). There is also lack of data on the Polish population. The study aimed at assessing the prevalence of HCV infection and liver test abnormalities among patients with CLP in south Poland. Eighty-four patients with CLP and 130 patients with other dermatoses (controls) were included in this retrospective case-control study. Medical records were reviewed for the presence of anti-HCV antibodies and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and serum levels of liver function tests: aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and gamma-glumatyltranspeptidase (GGT). Anti-HCV antibodies were not found in any of the patients in the study or control group. HBsAg was detected in one (1.19%) patient with CLP and none of the controls. Considering the prevalence of abnormal liver function parameters, there were no statistically significant differences in the frequencies of AST (P=0.87), ALT (P=0.9), and GGT (P=0.81) above the upper limit between patients with CLP and patients with other dermatoses. Currently, there is no evidence confirming the relationship between HCV infection and CLP in southern Poland. There is also no increased incidence of liver function abnormalities compared to patients with other dermatoses. However, there is a need for further research on larger groups of patients.

COVID-19: Abnormal liver function tests

Background & AimsRecent data on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has begun to shine light on the impact of the disease on the liver. But no studies to date have systematically described liver test abnormalities in patients with COVID-19. We evaluated the clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in patients with abnormal liver test results.MethodsClinical records and laboratory results were obtained from 417 patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to the only referral hospital in Shenzhen, China from January 11 to February 21, 2020 and followed up to March 7, 2020. Information on clinical features of patients with abnormal liver tests were collected for analysis.ResultsOf 417 patients with COVID-19, 318 (76.3%) had abnormal liver test results and 90 (21.5%) had liver injury during hospitalization. The presence of abnormal liver tests became more pronounced during hospitalization within 2 weeks, with 49 (23.4%), 31 (14.8%), 24 (11.5%) and 51 (24.4%) patients having alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels elevated to more than 3× the upper limit of normal, respectively. Patients with abnormal liver tests of hepatocellular type or mixed type at admission had higher odds of progressing to severe disease (odds ratios [ORs] 2.73; 95% CI 1.19–6.3, and 4.44, 95% CI 1.93–10.23, respectively). The use of lopinavir/ritonavir was also found to lead to increased odds of liver injury (OR from 4.44 to 5.03, both p <0.01).ConclusionPatients with abnormal liver tests were at higher risk of progressing to severe disease. The detrimental effects on liver injury mainly related to certain medications used during hospitalization, which should be monitored and evaluated frequently.Lay summaryData on liver tests in patients with COVID-19 are scarce. We observed a high prevalence of liver test abnormalities and liver injury in 417 patients with COVID-19 admitted to our referral center, and the prevalence increased substantially during hospitalization. The presence of abnormal liver tests and liver injury were associated with the progression to severe pneumonia. The detrimental effects on liver injury were related to certain medications used during hospitalization, which warrants frequent monitoring and evaluation for these patients.

Combination therapy with acitretin and glycyrrhizin in generalized pustular psoriasis with liver test abnormalities: A case series.

Liver test abnormalities (LTA) are a frequent extracutaneous manifestation in generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP). Due to possible hepatotoxicity of systemic monotherapy, it is challenging to simultaneously achieve clinical remission and LTA normalization. However, evidence for therapy is lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of combination therapy of acitretin and glycyrrhizin in nine GPP patients with LTA. During the acute phase of GPP, a combination of acitretin (0.5 mg/kg/d PO) and glycyrrhizin (80 mg/d intravenous) was initiated. After 2 weeks, all the patients promptly achieved at least 77% improvement in the severity score of GPP, as well as a significant reduction of liver enzymes. The patients were continuously treated with tapered doses of acitretin (20-30 mg/d PO) and glycyrrhizin (150 mg/d PO), and presented stable conditions during the 12-month follow-up. In conclusion, we consider that the combination of acitretin plus glycyrrhizin is an effective and safe therapy in GPP patients with LTA.