Drug-Induced Liver Disease

Drug-induced liver disease or drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a rare but serious complication of drug treatment. DILI may be concentration-dependent; an example is potentially fatal liver failure from acetaminophen overdose. However, some commonly prescribed drugs, especially antimicrobials, may cause idiosyncratic DILI when used at the recommended dose. The underlying mechanism for idiosyncratic DILI is poorly understood. Methods to determine potential for new drugs to cause idiosyncratic DILI during development exist but need improvement. Risk factors for idiosyncratic DILI include age, gender, drug–drug interactions, and genetics. Studies to predict individual susceptibility to idiosyncratic DILI are in progress.