Posaconazole-associated severe hyperbilirubinemia in acute myeloid leukemia following chemotherapy: A case report.

BACKGROUND

Posaconazole is a widely used azole antifungal agent, and posaconazole-associated severe hyperbilirubinemia is usually rare in clinical practice. We herein report a 58-year-old male with acute myeloid leukemia, who developed fungal infection following chemotherapy.

CASE SUMMARY

After administration of posaconazole oral suspension, the patient developed severe hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, CTCAE -Grade 3) with a serum total bilirubin (T-BIL) peak level of 170 μmol/L, alkaline phosphatase level of 739 U/L, alanine aminotransferase level of 99 U/L, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase level of 638 U/L. After posaconazole withdrawal and symptomatic treatment with liver-protective agents, the level of T-BIL and other laboratory data decreased gradually, and related symptoms disappeared. After medication analysis and literature review, we consider that the patient had a cholestatic type of posaconazole-induced liver injury, which was related to intracellular mitochondrial DNA damage. The case demonstrates that when patients with hematological malignancy develop severe infection following chemotherapy, combination of anti-infective drugs may contribute to a higher risk of severe drug-induced liver injury.

CONCLUSION

This is the first thoroughly documented case report of posaconazole-associated severe hyperbilirubinemia. Therefore, in order to avoid severe adverse events, liver and renal function should be monitored closely before and during the administration of posaconazole.