Citation

Wong GL, Tam YH, Ng CF, Chan AW, Choi PC, Chu WC, Lai PB, Chan HL, Wong VW. Clin. Gastroenterol. Hepatol. 2014; 12(10): 1759-620.

Affiliation

Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: wongv@cuhk.edu.hk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.cgh.2014.01.041

PMID

24534547

Abstract

Abuse of ketamine abuse leads to liver injury. We investigated the histopathologic and radiologic features of ketamine abusers with significant liver injury in a cross-sectional survey of 297 consecutive chronic abusers of ketamine with urinary tract dysfunction. Liver biopsy and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreato-graphy (MRCP) were performed in patients with liver injury (concentrations of bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and/or alanine aminotransferase >2-fold the upper limit of normal). The prevalence of liver injury was 9.8% (all cases cholestatic). Bile duct injury was observed in all 7 patients assessed by liver biopsy. Two patients had bridging fibrosis despite their young age. Three of 6 patients who underwent MRCP examination were found to have prominent or dilated common bile ducts, without obstructions or extrinsic compressions. Ketamine abuse therefore appears to lead to common bile duct dilatation, microscopic bile duct injury, and even significant liver fibrosis.

Language: en