Severe acute liver injury associated with lumiracoxib

Pillans PI et al. – Lumiracoxib can be associated with severe liver injury. The presence of a variety of positive auto–antibodies suggests an altered immune response may be contributory.

Methods

• To describe in detail 3 cases of severe liver injury in patients taking lumiracoxib who were admitted to the hospital, together with information on a further 6 cases reported to the Australian Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA), none of whom had pre-existing liver disease or obvious risk factors for liver disease.

Results

• Liver histology showed severe hepatic necrosis.
• One patient required liver transplantation and another died.
• Autoantibodies were detected in all 3 patients.
• As with the other 6 cases reported to the TGA, all were females who had been taking lumiracoxib 200-400 mg daily, typically for a few months, for osteoarthritis.

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