Risk Factors, Management and Outcomes of Drug Induced Hepatic Injury among Adult Patients with Liver Disease at Kenyatta National Hospital

Asin, Caroline Achieng (2015) Risk Factors, Management and Outcomes of Drug Induced Hepatic Injury among Adult Patients with Liver Disease at Kenyatta National Hospital. Masters thesis, University of Nairobi.

[img] PDF (Risk Factors, Management and Outcomes of Drug Induced Hepatic Injury among Adult Patients with Liver Disease at Kenyatta National Hospital)
Asin_Risk factors, management and outcomes of drug induced hepatic injury among adult patients with liver disease.pdf - Accepted Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

Download (2MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Background: Globally, liver injury due to medicines is a growing medical, scientific and public health problem. Over the past two decades, reports from World Health Organization have shown that there has been a rising number of patients with drug induced liver disease. Published literature on the local prevalence of possible drug-induced liver disease cases, associated risk factors as well as management of these conditions remains scanty. Study Objectives: To assess drug induced liver disease in adult patients with liver disease with respect to the prevalence, risk factors, management and outcomes. Study Design: A cross-sectional survey of adult patients with liver disease. Study Area: Kenyatta National Hospital Liver Clinic and Medical Wards. Study Population: Four hundred and eighty five patients (485) aged 18 years and above, with diagnosed liver disease who met the study inclusion criteria. Methods: Patients attending the liver clinic were recruited consecutively as they came for their appointments. Those in the medical wards were selected consecutively using the admission list and then followed into the wards using their names and patient numbers. Results: There were slightly more males, at 257(53.1%), than females. The mean age of the study participants was 41.4 years (± 14.1). Majority of patients (59.8%) had hepatocellular injury and presented with elevated liver enzymes (97 %) and jaundice (78.4 %). The most frequently used and suspected drug causing liver disease among patients was alcohol at 37.7 %. However, the use of antiretrovirals (OR=0.31; 95 % CI: 0.17-0.57; p=0.05) and alcohol (OR=0.56; 95 % CI: 0.35-0.89; p=0.05) increased the likelihood of having an admission, relapse or death among patients by 31% and 56% respectively. Most of the management strategies (90.9%) was by withdrawal of the offending agent. Other strategies included use of steroids(OR=2.30;95% CI:1.46-3.64;p<0.00001), antihistamines(OR=4.52; 95% CI: 1.85-11.02;p<0.00001) and vitamin K(OR=3.09; 95% CI:1.82-5.22;p<0.00001) and these were found to increase the likelihood of having a desirable outcome by two times, five times and three times respectively. More than half (55.5 %) of the patients were admitted for more than 10 days during management and mortality was at 7%. Conclusion and Recommendations: Clinicians should be encouraged to be vigilant in monitoring and counseling liver disease patients who are on antiretrovirals or using alcohol. In addition use of steroids, antihistamines and vitamin K should be encouraged where possible in the management of liver disease patients. Other similar studies should also be carried out in other hospitals so as to improve on the management of liver disease patients. Case control studies should be carried out as well with the aim of determining the cause-effect relationships of the various risk factors associated with liver injury in the country. This may help mitigate the risk factors identified.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
Subjects: R Medicine > RM Therapeutics. Pharmacology
Divisions: Africana
Depositing User: Mr Nahum Osman
Date Deposited: 17 Jun 2016 11:45
Last Modified: 17 Jun 2016 11:45
URI: http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/501

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item