Drug-Induced Liver Injury John J. Poterucha, MD

Drug-induced liver injury is common in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In one study, the overall incidence of drug-induced liver disease was 13.9 per 100,000 population annually. About 5% to 10% of hospitalizations for jaundice are due to drugs, and medications cause about 50% of cases of fulminant liver failure. Drug-induced liver injury is the most common cause of regulatory action for drugs, including withdrawal from the market. Predisposing factors for drug-induced liver injury are obesity or malnutrition, extremes of age, female sex, pregnancy, polypharmacy, previous drug-induced liver injury, genetic influences, and preexisting liver disease.