Fulminant hepatic failure in a child as a potential adverse effect of trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole

Therapeutic Management of Idiosyncratic Drug-Induced Liver Injury and Acetaminophen Hepatotoxicity in the Paediatric Population: A Systematic Review

Introduction

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a rare but serious adverse event that can progress to acute liver failure (ALF). The evidence for treatment of DILI in children is scarce.

Objective

We aimed to comprehensively review the available literature on the therapies for both acetaminophen overdose (APAP) and idiosyncratic DILI in the paediatric population.

Methods

We included original articles conducted in a paediatric population (< 18 years) in which a therapeutic intervention was described to manage APAP or idiosyncratic DILI. Findings were summarized based on age groups (preterm newborn neonates, term and post-term neonates, infants, children and adolescents).

Results

Overall, 25 publications (fifteen case reports, six case series and four retrospective cohort studies) were included, including a total of 140 paediatric DILI cases, from preterm newborn neonates to adolescents. N-acetylcysteine was used to treat 19 APAP cases. N-acetylcysteine (n = 14), ursodeoxycholic acid (n = 3), corticosteroids (n = 31), carnitine (n = 16) and the combination of glycyrrhizin, reduced glutathione, polyene phosphatidylcholine and S-adenosylmethionine (n = 31) were the therapeutic options for treating idiosyncratic DILI. The molecular adsorbent recirculating system was used in the management of either APAP (n = 4) or idiosyncratic DILI (n = 2), while 20 paediatric ALF cases received continuous renal replacement therapy.

Conclusions

This systematic review identified DILI in the paediatric population who have received specific treatment. These interventions appear to be mainly extrapolated from low-quality evidence from the adult population. Thus, there is a need for high-quality studies to test the efficacy of known and novel therapies to treat DILI specifically addressed to the paediatric population.

PROSPERO registration number CRD42021214702.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40264-022-01224-w.

Secondary Dysfunction of the Intestinal Barrier in the Pathogenesis of Complications of Acute Poisoning

The last decade has been marked by an exponential increase in the number of publications on the physiological role of the normal human gut microbiota. The idea of a symbiotic relationship between the human organism and normal microbiota of its gastrointestinal tract has been firmly established as an integral part of the current biomedical paradigm. However, the type of this symbiosis varies from mutualism to parasitism and depends on the functional state of the host organism. Damage caused to the organism by external agents can lead to the emergence of conditionally pathogenic properties in the normal gut microbiota, mediated by humoral factors and affecting the outcome of exogenous exposure. Among the substances produced by symbiotic microbiota, there are an indefinite number of compounds with systemic toxicity. Some occur in the intestinal chyme in potentially lethal amounts in the case they enter the bloodstream quickly. The quick entry of potential toxicants is prevented by the intestinal barrier (IB), a set of structural elements separating the intestinal chyme from the blood. Hypothetically, severe damage to the IB caused by exogenous toxicants can trigger a leakage and subsequent systemic redistribution of toxic substances of bacterial origin. Until recently, the impact of such a redistribution on the outcome of acute exogenous poisoning remained outside the view of toxicology. The present review addresses causal relationships between the secondary dysfunction of the IB and complications of acute poisoning. We characterize acute systemic toxicity of such waste products of the normal gut microflora as ammonia and endotoxins, and demonstrate their involvement in the formation of such complications of acute poisoning as shock, sepsis, cerebral insufficiency and secondary lung injuries. The principles of assessing the functional state of the IB and the approaches to its protection in acute poisoning are briefly considered.

North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Position Paper on the Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Acute Liver Failure

ABSTRACT

Pediatric acute liver failure (PALF) is a rare, rapidly progressive clinical syndrome with significant morbidity and mortality. The phenotype of PALF manifests as abrupt onset liver dysfunction, which can be brought via disparate etiology. Management is reliant upon intensive clinical care and support, often provided by the collaborative efforts of hepatologists, critical care specialists, and liver transplant surgeons. The construction of an age-based diagnostic approach, the identification of a potential underlying cause, and the prompt implementation of appropriate therapy can be lifesaving; however, the dynamic and rapidly progressive nature of PALF also demands that diagnostic inquiries be paired with monitoring strategies for the recognition and treatment of common complications of PALF. Although liver transplantation can provide a potential life-saving therapeutic option, the ability to confidently determine the certainness that liver transplant is needed for an individual child has been hampered by a lack of adequately tested clinical decision support tools and accurate predictive models. Given the accelerated progress in understanding PALF, we will provide clinical guidance to pediatric gastroenterologists and other pediatric providers caring for children with PALF by presenting the most recent advances in diagnosis, management, pathophysiology, and associated outcomes.

Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Associated Drug-Induced Liver Injury in Pediatrics: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a rare but known adverse event associated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in adults. No studies to date have looked at the risk of this association in children. We systematically reviewed the evidence for a potential association between TMP-SMX and DILI in the pediatric population.

METHODS

PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Scopus and Web of Science was searched using a combination of terms to identify reports of TMP-SMX exposure, liver injury and pediatrics (≤18 years old). We included any studies with hepatic adverse events occurring after exposure to TMP-SMX. Bibliographies were reviewed for additional relevant references. The Narajno scale was used to assess causality in case studies.

RESULTS

A total of 22 studies were identified: 3 randomized trials, 1 prospective observational study, 8 retrospective observational studies and 10 case reports. Among the randomized trials and prospective studies, only mild, transient hepatic function abnormalities were reported. Retrospective observational studies reported 1 fatal DILI and statistically significant increased odds of DILI with TMP-SMX use compared with nonuse. Among the 10 case reports, severe liver outcomes and mild hepatic function abnormalities were both reported. Naranjo scores suggested reported hepatic adverse events were probably because of exposure in 5, possible in 4, and doubtful in 1 case report.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence regarding DILI associated with TMP-SMX exposure in pediatrics is limited. Observational population studies show mild hepatic abnormalities. Case reports suggest more severe manifestations of DILI. Additional studies may reveal the association between TMP-SMX and DILI in pediatrics.

Drug-Induced Liver Injury in Children: Clinical Observations, Animal Models, and Regulatory Status

Drug-induced liver injury in children (cDILI) accounts for about 1% of all reported adverse drug reactions throughout all age groups, less than 10% of all clinical DILI cases, and around 20% of all acute liver failure cases in children. The overall DILI susceptibility in children has been assumed to be lower than in adults. Nevertheless, controversial evidence is emerging about children's sensitivity to DILI, with children's relative susceptibility to DILI appearing to be highly drug-specific. The culprit drugs in cDILI are similar but not identical to DILI in adults (aDILI). This is demonstrated by recent findings that a drug frequently associated with aDILI (amoxicillin/clavulanate) was rarely associated with cDILI and that the drug basiliximab caused only cDILI but not aDILI. The fatality in reported cDILI studies ranged from 4% to 31%. According to the US Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs labels, valproic acid, dactinomycin, and ampicillin appear more likely to cause cDILI. In contrast, deferasirox, isoniazid, dantrolene, and levofloxacin appear more likely to cause aDILI. Animal models have been explored to mimic children's increased susceptibility to valproic acid hepatotoxicity or decreased susceptibility to acetaminophen or halothane hepatotoxicity. However, for most drugs, animal models are not readily available, and the underlying mechanisms for the differential reactions to DILI between children and adults remain highly hypothetical. Diagnosis tools for cDILI are not yet available. A critical need exists to fill the knowledge gaps in cDILI. This review article provides an overview of cDILI and specific drugs associated with cDILI.

Acute Hepatitis and Pancytopenia in Healthy Infant with Adenovirus

Adenoviruses are a common cause of respiratory infection, pharyngitis, and conjunctivitis in infants and young children. They are known to cause hepatitis and liver failure in immunocompromised patients; they are a rare cause of hepatitis in immunocompetent patients and have been known to cause fulminant hepatic failure. We present a 23-month-old immunocompetent infant who presented with acute noncholestatic hepatitis, hypoalbuminemia, generalized anasarca, and pancytopenia secondary to adenovirus infection.

Antibiotic induced liver injury: what about children?

Antimicrobial agents are important causes of drug-induced liver injury. They are responsible for about 45% of cases of drug hepatotoxicity. Hepatic damage mechanisms are intrinsic or idiosyncratic. Usually, antibiotics are responsible for idiosyncratic toxicity. This review summarizes the rate of incidence and clinical features of hepatotoxicity due to antibiotics and chemotherapics, with particular attention to data regarding paediatric population. Liver injury features have been systematically evaluated for the most commonly administered antibiotics and chemotherapics in adults, even though there is little information about other widely used compounds, as cephalosporine or clarithromycin, and about antibiotics active against multi-resistant bacteria, as carbapenems, vancomycin, clindamycin, and linezolid. By contrast, there is an abundance of case reports in paediatrics, but very few structured studies have been carried out in children. Children are an important class of antibiotic users, with specific metabolic characteristics, so more studies on them should be carried out.

Hepatotoxicity induced by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in a child with cystic fibrosis

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) have chronic and progressive lung infections with various bacterial organisms that require treatment with oral and intravenous antibiotics on a regular basis. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is one of the medications used to treat acute pulmonary infectious exacerbations in patients with CF. Hepatic toxicity secondary to TMP-SMX was previously described in normal subjects but has not been reported in children with CF. Here we describe a 14-year-old female child with CF who was given oral TMP-SMX for an acute pulmonary infectious exacerbation. She developed a rash, severe constitutional symptoms, and significant elevation of liver enzyme concentrations secondary to immunity-mediated reaction to TMP-SMX. Discontinuation of TMP-SMX and supportive treatment led to resolution of her symptoms and normalization of liver enzyme concentrations.

Opportunistic infection in the patients with acute liver failure: a report of three cases with one fatality

We report three cases of severe opportunistic infection in patients with acute liver failure (ALF). These cases included a 56-year-old man infected with Cryptococcus neoformans, cytomegarovirus (CMV), Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigates, as well as a 62-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman infected with pneumocystis pneumonia, CMV and Aspergillus fumigatus. One patient died as a result of the infection rather than liver failure. We stress the importance of opportunistic infection as a consideration in the use of immunosuppressive agents for the treatment of ALF.

ADVERSE REACTIONS OF NITROFURANTOIN, TRIMETHOPRIM AND SULFAMETHOXAZOLE IN CHILDREN

PURPOSE

Many children with urological disease require long-term treatment with antibiotics. In many cases the choice of medical instead of surgical management hinges on the implied safety of certain drugs. Recently some groups have advocated subureteral injection procedures to avoid long-term antibiotics for low grade reflux. We present a concise and relevant review on the use and adverse reactions of nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole in children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed the literature regarding the safety and toxicity of these drugs. Information regarding absorption, excretion and dosing was also gathered to explain better the mechanisms of toxicity.

RESULTS

Adverse reactions in children reported in the literature related to nitrofurantoin are gastrointestinal disturbance (4.4/100 person-years at risk), cutaneous reactions (2% to 3%), pulmonary toxicity (9 patients), hepatoxicity (12 patients and 3 deaths), hematological toxicity (12 patients), neurotoxicity and an increased rate of sister chromatid exchanges. Adverse reactions in children related to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole are almost exclusively due to the sulfamethoxazole component, including cutaneous reactions (1.4 to 7.4 events per 100 person-years at risk), hematological toxicity (0% to 72% of patients) and hepatotoxicity (5 patients). The majority of adverse reactions were found in children on full dose therapy and not prophylaxis.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole is safe in children for long-term prophylactic therapy. The antibiotic safety issue should not be misconstrued as an argument for surgical therapy, whether minimally invasive or not. Adverse reactions exist to these medicines but they are less common than seen in adults, presumably because of the lower dose used for therapy, and the lack of significant comorbidities and drug interactions in children. Serious side effects are extremely rare and most are reversible by discontinuing therapy. The extremely low potential for significant adverse reactions should be discussed with parents.

Acute fulminant hepatic failure in a woman treated with phenytoin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole

Massive hepatic necrosis following exposure to phenytoin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is a rare occurrence and to the best of our knowledge has not been reported previously. Acute hepatic failure following administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole has rarely been seen, and only 4 cases have been well documented pathologically. We report a case of acute liver failure in a 60-year-old woman following ingestion of phenytoin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole concomitantly over a 9-day period. Autopsy findings revealed acute fulminant hepatic failure. This case demonstrates the effects of chemical-chemical interactions in the potentiation of hepatotoxicity of single agents and specifically illustrates the need for discontinuing trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in the presence of early liver injury.

Antibiotic-associated hepatitis: update from 1990

OBJECTIVE

To review the literature on the recent available evidence of antibiotic-associated acute liver injury.

DATA SOURCES

All published articles from January 1990 to July 1995 were extracted from the monthly updated HEPATOX database. Additional articles were found using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PASCAL searches. Hepatic injuries associated with antituberculous, antimycotic, antiviral, antiprotozoal, and antiseptic compounds were excluded form this review.

STUDY SELECTION

As the amount of literature was large, only case reports, series and epidemiologic data were used. Results from clinical trials were reviewed only when other information was available.

DATA EXTRACTION

Original articles were reviewed to select relevant material. Information regarding the clinical description, histologic features, severity, outcome, and possible risk factors was extracted. Data on incidence were provided by epidemiologic studies or spontaneous reporting to regulatory agencies.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Antibiotic-associated acute injury is rare, with an incidence not exceeding 1 case 10,000 users for most drugs. Among beta-lactams, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid and penicillinase-resistant penicillins are associated with predominant and sometimes protracted cholestasis. The hepatotoxic potential of all available erythromycin salts is confirmed, and recent evidence suggests that roxithromycin could be added to the list of antibiotic-induced liver injury. Among fluoroquinolones, only ciprofloxacin has been associated with serious hepatitis. Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole-induced hepatitis often reported, but trimethoprim alone also appears as a possible cause of acute liver injury. Finally, acute bile duct injuries and ductopenia have been described with several antibiotics.

CONCLUSIONS

The most important recent information is the possibility of protracted liver cholestasis with bile duct injuries induced by several antibiotics, particularly penicillinase-resistant penicillins, and the identification of new potentially hepatotoxic antibiotics, namely, roxithromycin, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim.