Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Methyldopa is a centrally acting antihypertensive agent commonly used in the management of hypertension. It has been associated with rare but serious hepatotoxic effects. Methyldopa-induced hepatitis is an uncommon but potentially devastating adverse effect that can mimic autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) both clinically and histologically. This report presents the case of a 31-year-old woman with a history of hypertension who developed acute hepatitis following the initiation of methyldopa. The patient presented with fatigue, jaundice, and elevated liver enzymes approximately six weeks after starting therapy. Viral, autoimmune, and metabolic causes of hepatitis were excluded through comprehensive testing. Liver function normalized following the discontinuation of methyldopa, and the patient recovered fully, supporting a diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Causality was assessed using the Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM), yielding a score of 9, indicating a 'highly probable' link between methyldopa and the observed hepatitis.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.84873
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410787604