Authors: Rifat-uz-Zaman
Keywords: anti-tuberculosis drugs, drug induced hepatitis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis, hepatoxicity, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampin, toxic hepatitis
Abstract
Introduction: Tuberculosis (TB) infects one third of population, world over. Anti-tubercular like isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide are highly effective but hepatotoxic. Data on prevalence of anti-TB drug-induced hepatitis and contributing risk factors are scarce in Bahawalpur. This cross-sectional study was designed to look at the prevalence and promoting risk factors of druginduced hepatitis in the urban population of Bahawalpur district, Punjab- Pakistan. Methods: We examined a total of 1161 peoples (>15 years; 589 male and 572 female); divided into 3 groups i.e., young (1535 years), mature (3550 years) and old (>50 years). Population was compared in terms of demographical data and risk factors, such as age, gender, hepatitis B/C carrier, and pretreatment liver biochemistries (serum albumin, globulin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and bilirubin). Data was evaluated by 95% confidence interval. Differences were considered significant at p<0.05 and highly significant at p<0.001. Results: Out of 146 TB patients, 21 developed hepatitis. The prevalence of drug-induced hepatitis was 14.38%. Lower serum albumin (p<0.05), higher serum globulin (p<0.05), tuberculosis, hepatitis B/C and poverty were significant risk factors. Conclusion: ATB-induced hepatotoxicity was significantly frequent among the patients treated with ATB.
