Case Report
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 21, 2009; 15(31): 3937-3939
Published online Aug 21, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.3937
Celecoxib-induced cholestatic liver failure requiring orthotopic liver transplantation
Ihab I El Hajj, Shahid M Malik, Hany R Alwakeel, Obaid S Shaikh, Eizaburo Sasatomi, Hossam M Kandil
Ihab I El Hajj, Shahid M Malik, Hany R Alwakeel, Obaid S Shaikh, Hossam M Kandil, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA 15213, United States
Eizaburo Sasatomi, Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States
Author contributions: El Hajj II and Malik SM performed the literature search and wrote the manuscript; Alwakeel HR participated in the literature review; Shaikh OS reviewed the manuscript, Sasatomi E examined the biopsies; and Kandil HM wrote and reviewed the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Hossam M Kandil, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Kaufmann Building, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Suite 916, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, United States. hmk2@pitt.edu
Telephone: +1-412-6471170
Fax: +1-412-6479268
Received: October 22, 2008
Revised: November 19, 2008
Accepted: November 26, 2008
Published online: August 21, 2009
Abstract

Selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors are widely used due to their efficacy and good safety profile. However, recent case reports have described varying degrees of liver injuries associated with the use of COX-2 inhibitors. We report the case of a patient who developed acute cholestatic hepatitis progressing to hepatic failure requiring liver transplantation, following a 3-d course of celecoxib for treatment of generalized muscle aches and pains. The clinical presentation, the laboratory data, as well as the liver histopathology were supportive of the putative diagnosis of drug induced liver injury.

Keywords: Celecoxib; Cholestatic hepatitis; Liver failure; Liver transplantation