Management of Acute Hepatotoxicity Including Medical Agents and Liver Support Systems.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) can be predictable or idiosyncratic and has an estimated incidence of approximately 20 cases per 100,000 persons per year. DILI is a common cause of acute liver failure in the United States. No accurate tests for diagnosing DILI exist, and its diagnosis is based on exclusion of other conditions. Managing DILI includes discontinuing the suspected causative agent and in selected cases administering an antidote. Liver support systems are used for long-term support or as a bridge to transplantation and are effective for improving encephalopathy, hyperbilirubinemia, and other liver-related conditions, but whether they improve survival remains uncertain.