Acute hepatitis caused by alverine associated with anti-lamin A and C autoantibodies

We report the case of a 67-year-old woman in whom onset and regression of acute hepatitis were closely related to the time of administration and withdrawal of the smooth muscle relaxant alverine. Antinuclear antibodies were positive, and their titer followed the course of hepatitis. They presented a smooth rim-like nuclear immunofluoreseence staining pattern. Immunoblot assay showed that they were directed againstlamin A and lamin C. This suggests that alverine should be added to the list of drugs known to produce acute hepatitis, and that drug-induced fiver injury is a possible cause of antinuclear antibodies specific for lamin A and lamin C.