Histamine H2-receptor antagonists are commonly used in many clinical conditions, and their hepatotoxicity has been reported occasionally.However, cholestatic hepatitis induced by nizatidine is very rare. Here, we report a young female patient with severe cholestatic hepatitis associated with nizatidine use. She had taken nizatidine to manage asymptomatic reflux laryngitis by an otonasolaryngology doctorfor about 20 days. After about 15 days of nizatidine administration, jaundice developed and continued for more than2 months withmaximal serum total bilirubin reaching 17.5 mg/dL, in spite of the discontinuation of medication. Liver specimen obtained by needle biopsy revealed severe centrilobular cholestatic hepatitis. Her liver function improved slowly and serum total bilirubin decreased down to 1.7 mg/dL after months later from the development of jaundice. As far as our knowledge, this is the second case of nizatidine- induced cholestatic hepatitis reported in the literature.
Bilirubin ; Biopsy, Needle ; Cholestasis ; Female ; Hepatitis* ; Histamine ; Humans ; Jaundice ; Laryngitis ; Liver ; Nizatidine*

Nizatidine is a histamine H₂ receptor antagonist that inhibits stomach acid production and is commonly used in the treatment of peptic ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux. H₂ receptor antagonists are typically well tolerated, and hypersensitivity reactions are rare. A 19-year-old woman developed urticaria 30 minutes after taking a drug containing nizatidine. Allergic reactions to nizatidine were confirmed via skin prick test, which also revealed cross-reactions to ranitidine. We believe that this is the first case report on immediate hypersensitivity to nizatidine in Korea.
Female ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Histamine ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; Hypersensitivity, Immediate ; Korea ; Nizatidine ; Peptic Ulcer ; Ranitidine ; Skin ; Stomach ; Urticaria ; Young Adult