Meloxicam-induced liver toxicity

We report the case of a female patient with rheumatoid arthritis who developed acute cytolytic hepatitis due to meloxicam. Recently introduced in Belgium, meloxicam is the first nonsteroidal antiinliammatory drug with selective action on the inducible form of cyclooxygenase 2. The acute cytolytic hepatitis occurred rapidly after meloxicam administration and was associated with the development of antinuclear antibodies suggesting a hypersensitivity mechanism. This first case of meloxicam related liver toxicity demonstrates the potential of this drug to induce hepatic damage.