Eltrombopag-Induced Acute Liver Failure in a Pediatric Patient: A Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacogenetic Analysis

Ther Drug Monit. 2018 Aug;40(4):386-388. doi: 10.1097/FTD.0000000000000522.

Abstract

Eltrombopag is an oral thrombopoietin receptor agonist approved for the treatment of patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), who are more than 1 year old, and show poor response to first-line therapy. ITP is a hematological disorder characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia in the absence of secondary causes or disorders. Eltrombopag is generally well tolerated in the pediatric population; therefore, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is not usually performed in clinical practice.We presented the case study of a 3-year-old girl with chronic ITP. She arrived in the pediatric intensive care unit with acute liver failure due to eltrombopag toxicity despite taking the standard drug dosage. A very high eltrombopag plasma concentration, indicating drug toxicity, was found through TDM. The patient also carried the allelic variations that are involved in drug metabolism [CYP2C8 and UDP glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) 1A1 (UGT1A1)] and drug cellular transportation [ABCG2 (ATP-binding cassette G2)]. This observation highlights the importance of using TDM and pharmacogenetic approaches to manage patients' unusual complications associated with standard pharmacological treatment regimens.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2 / genetics*
  • Benzoates / adverse effects*
  • Benzoates / blood
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C8 / genetics*
  • Drug Monitoring
  • Female
  • Glucuronosyltransferase / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Hydrazines / adverse effects*
  • Hydrazines / blood
  • Liver Failure, Acute / chemically induced*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics*
  • Pharmacogenomic Testing
  • Pyrazoles / adverse effects*
  • Pyrazoles / blood
  • Receptors, Thrombopoietin / agonists

Substances

  • ABCG2 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2
  • Benzoates
  • Hydrazines
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Pyrazoles
  • Receptors, Thrombopoietin
  • MPL protein, human
  • CYP2C8 protein, human
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C8
  • UGT1A1 enzyme
  • Glucuronosyltransferase
  • eltrombopag