Citation

Huang YS, Chang TT, Peng CY, Lo GH, Hsu CW, Hu CT, Huang YH. Hepatol. Int. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12072-021-10241-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Whether herbal and dietary supplements (HDS) are safer than Western conventional drugs is controversial. The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics and risk factors for HDS-induced liver injury (HILI) in Taiwan.

METHODS: This is a 9-year multi-center prospective study conducted in Taiwan from 2011 to 2019. Patients with HILI were compared to those with conventional drug-induced liver injury (CILI).

RESULTS: A total of 1,297 patients were enrolled, of whom 285 (22.0%) had HILI and 1,012 (78.0%) had CILI. Compared to the CILI group, the HILI group had higher initial serum alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), peak ALP and bilirubin levels, and higher rates of jaundice, ascites, encephalopathy, coagulopathy, sepsis and acute liver failure. In addition, the HILI group had a higher mortality rate than the CILI group (12.6 vs. 8.0%, p = 0.016). Hepatitis B carrier status, elevated baseline liver biochemical tests and the use of crude herbs (without processing) were associated with an increased risk of HILI-related mortality (adjusted hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals]: 2.90 [1.43-5.99], 2.40 [1.01-5.68] and 2.94 [1.45-5.97], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: HDS are popular and incriminated in more than one-fifth of drug-induced liver injuries in Taiwan. The patients with HILI were more severe than those with CILI in terms of liver biochemical tests, complications and mortality. Hepatitis B carriers, those with elevated baseline liver tests and crude herb users may have a higher risk of HILI-related mortality. The prudent use of HDS is suggested in these high-risk subjects.

Language: en

Keywords

Risk factor; Toxicity; Adverse drug reaction; Conventional drug-induced liver injury; Drug-induced liver injury; Hepatitis B; Hepatotoxicity; Herbal and dietary supplements; Herbal and dietary supplements-induced liver injury; Liver disease