Clinical application of the leukocyte migration test and new diagnostic criteria for identifying causative agents in patients with drug-induced liver injury

Background/Aims: We examined the usefulness of the leukocyte migration test (LMT) in the identification of agents causing drug-induced liver injury (DILI). Methodology: In 14 patients who were tentatively diagnosed as having DILI in Kitasato Institute Hospital, pharmacists collected and evaluated drug information and patients' medication histories to identify causative agents. Simultaneously, LMT and drug lymphocyte stimulation test (DLST) were performed. Furthermore, scoring was performed according to the diagnostic criteria established by the International Consensus Meeting (ICM) and the Digestive Disease Week-Japan 2004 (DDW-J). Results: LMT-positive agents showed a higher ICM score compared to DLST-positive agents. The rate of LMT-positive agents was examined with respect to ICM assessment, and 0%, 25%, 33%, and 100% of agents regarded as unrelated/unlikely, possible, probable, and highly probable showed positive reactions on LMT, respectively; the rate of LMT-positive agents increased with the degree of the agent's involvement. When the results of LMT were applied to the DDW-J criteria, there was a correlation with the ICM criteria in comparison to scoring based on the results of DLST. Conclusions: LMT may be useful for identifying agents causing DILI. Furthermore, the collection and evaluation of drug and patient information and in vitro testing in the identification of causative agents may support more reliable diagnosis.