Jaundice following high--dose arabinoside cytosine in a child with acute myelogenous leukemia.

A girl with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) was treated with high dose arabinoside cytosine during consolidation. She developed jaundice twice after the completion of 3 rd and 4 th cycle of the drug. The jaundice was characterized by conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, elevated aminotransferases and alkaline phosphatase. The histologic study of the liver showed only infiltration by mononuclear cells in portal space and scarce bile pigment in some hepatocytes. In both cases jaundice receded spontaneously. Now the patient has been in complete remission for 36 months and subsequent liver function tests are normal.