Case of severe liver damage after the induction of tocilizumab therapy for rheumatoid vasculitis

Evaluation of Drug-Induced Liver Injury in Hospitalized Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Elevated liver enzymes are frequently reported in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. Several mechanisms of liver injury have been proposed, but no clear conclusions were drawn. We aimed to evaluate hepatocellular and cholestatic injury in relation to the administration of potentially hepatotoxic drugs included in the current COVID-19 therapeutic guidelines in a retrospective cohort of 396 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The main findings of our study are: (1) Significant increase in aminotransferases level was observed during hospitalization, suggesting drug-related hepatotoxicity. (2) Tocilizumab was correlated with hepatocellular injury, including ALT values greater than five times the upper limit of normal. (3) Anakinra was correlated with ALT values greater than three times the upper limit of normal. (4) Younger patients receiving tocilizumab or anakinra had a higher risk of hepatocellular injury. (5) The combination of favipiravir with tocilizumab was associated with AST values greater than three times the upper limit of normal and with an increase in direct bilirubin. (6) The administration of at least three potentially hepatotoxic drugs was correlated with hepatocellular injury, including ALT values greater than five times the upper limit of normal, and with the increase in indirect bilirubin. (7) Remdesivir and favipiravir by themselves did not correlate with hepatocellular or cholestatic injury in our study cohort.

A case series analysis of serious exacerbations of viral hepatitis and non-viral hepatic injuries in tocilizumab-treated patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Reports of moderate to severe liver injury associated with tocilizumab, an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor antagonist, have been reported in the post-marketing setting. This case series aims to characterize cases of tocilizumab-associated clinically significant hepatic injury.

METHODS

We analysed cases of severe acute liver injury associated with tocilizumab reported in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System and the medical literature.

RESULTS

We identified 12 cases in which tocilizumab was a suspected primary cause of liver injury and eight cases in which serious sequelae of underlying or coincident viral hepatitis were temporally associated with its use. Using the Drug-Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) severity scale, five of 12 cases were Grade 5 (two liver transplants, three deaths), one was Grade 4 (liver failure) and six were Grade 3 (serious events with elevated bilirubin). Two cases reported liver atrophy with low hepatocellular expression of Ki-67, a marker of cellular proliferation. Among the eight cases of tocilizumab-associated viral hepatitis exacerbation, three were scored as DILIN severity Grade 5 (one liver transplant, two deaths), one was Grade 4 (liver failure), and four were Grade 3. The reported viral hepatitis events were hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation (n = 3), hepatitis C virus (HCV) flare (n = 1), cytomegalovirus (CMV)-induced liver failure (n = 1), Epstein-Barr virus hepatitis (n = 1), acute hepatitis E (HEV, n = 1) and HEV-induced macrophage activation syndrome (n = 1).

CONCLUSION

Tocilizumab may be a primary cause of severe liver injury, as well as exacerbate underlying viral hepatitis. The disruption by tocilizumab of IL-6-mediated immune protection and hepatocyte regeneration may aggravate clinical outcomes in some cases.

Challenges in COVID-19 drug treatment in patients with advanced liver diseases: A hepatology perspective

The global incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to increase despite health care efforts. The disease is caused by coronavirus 2 with high transmission and mortality rates. Little is known about the management of COVID-19 in advanced liver disease. The aim of work was to propose a plan for management of this drastic disease in case of this specific population with review of medications that could be suitable for advanced liver disease. All the guidelines and medications available for treatment of COVID-19 were reviewed with selection of the less toxic medications that could be used in advanced liver disease. Drugs suitable to manage COVID-19 in patients with liver disease might include remdesivir intravenously, nitazoxanide + sofosbuvir, ivermectin, tocilizumab, convalescent plasma, and low molecular weight heparin in certain situations. Advanced liver disease is associated with portal hypertension and splenomegaly with reduction of blood elements and immune dysfunction and impaired T cell function. Thus, when confronted by cytokine storm as an immune response to COVID-19, there may be an increase in the mortality rate of these patients. Through this review, a plan to treat COVID-19 in this special group of patients with advanced cirrhosis is proposed.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Transplantation: Pharmacotherapeutic Management of Immunosuppression Regimen

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, in late 2019. Since then, COVID-19 has spread to more than 200 countries in the world, and a global pandemic has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). At present, no vaccines or therapeutic regimens with proven efficacy are available for the management of COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, ribavirin, interferons, umifenovir, remdesivir, and interleukin antagonists, such as tocilizumab, have been recommended as potential treatment options in COVID-19. Transplant patients receiving immunosuppressant medications are at the highest risk of severe illness from COVID-19. At the same time, with regard to receiving polypharmacy and immunosuppressants, treatment options should be chosen with more attention in this population. Considering drug-drug interactions and adverse effects of medications used for the treatment of COVID-19, such as QT prolongation, the dose reduction of some immunosuppressants or avoidance is recommended in transplant recipients with COVID-19. Thus, this narrative review describes clinically important considerations about the treatment of COVID-19 and immunosuppressive regimens regarding modifications, side effects, and interactions in adult kidney or liver allograft recipients.

Fulminant Liver Failure due to Hepatitis B Reactivation During Treatment With Tocilizumab

Tocilizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin-6 receptor that is frequently used for the treatment of refractory rheumatoid arthritis. Since patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection were excluded from pivotal trials, the risk of HBV reactivation with this novel drug class remains uncertain. We present the first case of tocilizumab-associated HBV reactivation resulting in fulminant hepatic failure and a need for liver transplant. Our findings underscore the need for prophylactic antiviral therapy in patients being treated with novel immunosuppressive agents.

Tocilizumab inhibits neuronal cell apoptosis and activates STAT3 in cerebral infarction rat model

Cerebral infarction is a severe hypoxic ischemic necrosis with accelerated neuronal cell apoptosis in the brain. As a monoclonal antibody against interleukin 6, tocilizumab (TCZ) is widely used in immune diseases, whose function in cerebral infarction has not been studied. This study aims to reveal the role of TCZ in regulating neuronal cell apoptosis in cerebral infarction. The cerebral infarction rat model was constructed by middle cerebral artery occlusion and treated with TCZ. Cell apoptosis in hippocampus and cortex of the brain was examined with TUNEL method. Rat neuronal cells cultured in oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) conditions and treated with TCZ were used to compare cell viability and apoptosis. Apoptosis-related factors including B-cell lymphoma extra large (Bcl-xL) and Caspase 3, as well as the phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) in brain cortex were analyzed from the protein level. Results indicated that TCZ treatment could significantly prevent the promoted cell apoptosis caused by cerebral infarction or OGD (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In brain cortex of the rat model, TCZ up-regulated Bcl-xL and down-regulated Caspase 3, consistent with the inhibited cell apoptosis. It also promoted tyrosine 705 phosphorylation of STAT3, which might be the potential regulatory mechanism of TCZ in neuronal cells. This study provided evidence for the protective role of TCZ against neuronal cell apoptosis in cerebral infarction. Based on these fundamental data, TCZ is a promising option for treating cerebral infarction, but further investigations on related mechanisms are still necessary.

Ascites and other incidental findings revealing undiagnosed systemic rheumatoid arthritis

We describe a case of a 43-year-old man presenting to the gastroenterology outpatient department with exudative ascites. Mediastinal lymphadenopathy, pericardial effusion and pleural effusion were detected on further imaging. Further clinical examination revealed subcutaneous nodules on the left arm, which were confirmed to be rheumatoid nodules on histology. Inflammatory markers were elevated with positive serology for rheumatoid factor and anticyclic citrullinated protein antibody. Our investigations excluded tuberculosis, pancreatitis and malignancy in the patient. Following review by a rheumatologist, a diagnosis of systemic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was made. Pleuritis and pericarditis are well recognised as extra-articular manifestation of RA. Ascites, however, is rarely recognised as a manifestation of RA. Our literature search revealed two other cases of ascites due to RA disease activity, and both patients had long-standing known RA. This case adds to the discussion on whether ascites and peritonitis should be classified as extra-articular manifestations of RA.

Tocilizumab-Induced Acute Liver Injury in Adult Onset Still's Disease

Background. Tocilizumab, a monoclonal humanized anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, is used in treatment of refractory adult onset Still's disease (AOSD). Mild to moderate liver enzyme elevation is a well-known side effect, but severe liver injury has only been reported in 3 cases in the literature. Case. A young female suffering from corticoid and methotrexate refractory AOSD was treated by tocilizumab. After 19 months of consecutive treatment, she developed acute severe liver injury. Liver biopsy showed extensive hepatocellular necrosis with ballooned hepatocytes, highly suggestive of drug-induced liver injury. No other relevant drug exposure beside tocilizumab was recorded. She recovered totally after treatment discontinuation and an initial 3-day course of intravenous N-acetylcysteine with normalization of liver function tests after 6 weeks. Conclusion. Acute severe hepatitis can be associated with tocilizumab as documented in this case. Careful monitoring of liver function tests is warranted during tocilizumab treatment.