Hepatic Dysfunction in Patients Receiving Intravenous Amiodarone.
South Med J. 2016 Feb;109(2):83-86
Authors: Hashmi A, Keswani NR, Kim S, Graham DY
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Amiodarone is a commonly used antiarrhythmic drug. Hepatotoxicity following chronic oral administration occurs in 1% to 3% of patients. Hepatotoxicity following intravenous (IV) administration is infrequent but may be associated with dramatic increases in serum transaminases. We describe the incidence of liver toxicity among patients receiving IV amiodarone during a 5-year period.
METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective review of patients receiving IV amiodarone for any cause. The outcome measures were development of elevated serum transaminases and the relation of transaminitis to all-cause 30-day mortality.
RESULTS: A total of 1510 patients received amiodarone intravenously between 2005 and 2011; 77 (5%) developed elevated liver enzymes. Enzyme elevation was divided into mild (100-300 IU/L), moderate (300-1000 IU/L), and severe (>1000 IU/L). The median alanine aminotransferase was 189 (37-10,006) IU/L and aspartate aminotransferase was 253 (84-12,005) IU/L. The 30-day mortality among those with transaminitis was 22%; however, no patient died of amiodarone-related liver disease.
CONCLUSIONS: Amiodarone can cause severe elevation in liver enzymes. The incidence of severe transaminitis is low; deaths following IV amiodarone are rarely caused by drug-induced liver failure.
PMID: 26840961 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]