According to the researchers, antibiotics are the biggest cause of drug-induced liver injury (DILI).

In the US, DILI is the commonest cause of death from acute liver failure and it also causes almost 13% cases of acute liver failure in the country.

Different non-prescription and prescription drugs, herbal and nutritional supplements become the cause of DILI. In this study, the researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine examined the patients with suspected drug-induced liver injury and they noticed that almost 73% cases were due to only one prescription medication, 9% from nutritional supplements and 18% cases were due to multiple agents. In the study, patients with acetaminophen related liver injury were not included.

Dr. Naga P. Chalasani, who led the study, says in this connection that there are more than 100 agents that can be associated with drug induced liver injury and among them antibiotics with 45.5% and nervous system agents with 15% are the commonest cause. Similarly, 60% cases occur due to those weight loss and muscle building supplements.

The researchers didn’t find any link between patient gender and DILI severity, but the condition was found more severe in patients with diabetes.

The study has been published in the journal Gastroenterology, 1 Dec. issue.

Chalasani says in a news release that DILI has become a serious health issue and we need further efforts to define its developing means and pathogenesis to make early detection easy and treatment and prevention more effective.

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